


Time and the Trickster

by Lumendea



Series: Guardians of the Universe [4]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen, Romance, Time Travel, full season of episodes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-30
Updated: 2015-06-03
Packaged: 2018-03-20 10:26:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 65
Words: 204,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3646869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lumendea/pseuds/Lumendea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose Tyler is the Defender of Earth in her own right and the girlfriend of the Doctor in a temporally complicated relationship. Now with her second year at university starting she knows that life isn't going to be calm or easy, but even Rose has no idea what is in store. Thirteen adventures and fourth in the Guardians of the Universe series.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Mission in Time: White Guardian’s Errand

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter One: Mission in Time: White Guardian’s Errand   
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
AN: Welcome to the fourth story in the Guardians of the Universe series. If you have not read The Blond Girl, Defender of the Earth and the Companion Connection I strongly urge you to read those first otherwise you will be very lost very quickly. To all returning readers, thank you so much for all the awesome support you have given this series! This episode was inspired by the Sarah Jane Adventures episode Lost in Time, but I’ve made a lot of background changes to fill in some plot holes and questions that I had when watching the episode.  
  
………………………….  
  
Rose Tyler was nineteen years old and in her second year of university at Cambridge. At first glance a stranger wouldn’t have noticed anything unusual about Rose Tyler. She was of average height, had a toned body from athletic pursuits and wore blue jeans with t-shirts and trainers just like a lot of kids in university. It wasn’t her motorcycle, friendship with her favourite professor or even her concurrent degree in physics and computer science that set her apart. Instead, it was her knowledge of aliens and her history with different sentient species that made her rather distinct.  
  
She had first encountered aliens at the age of eleven when an alien being known as the Pied Piper kidnapped children in her area to feed on the fear it caused among parents. A few years later she was attacked by a living Mona Lisa straight out of her frame. Now at nineteen an average month for Rose included dealing with some alien threat to Earth and seeing her alien significant other: a time travelling humanoid known simply as the Doctor who had a complicated temporal relationship with her.   
  
Yet September had been quiet with Rose working in the UNIT labs with Malcolm, Toshiko and the newly arrived Kate and no exciting alien threats at all. October had typical for the average university students: returning to her apartment by the Cambridge Botanical Gardens, resuming classes and having dinner with the Chesterton’s every other Sunday. It was now late October and the temperature drop had already occurred, leaving a chill in the air and the firm understanding in the population that winter was coming. So after nearly two months of calm with nothing interesting, at least not on Rose’s scale of interesting, she was beginning to feel extremely bored. She’d gotten ahead on her schoolwork and had already written two of her first term papers just in an attempt to fill her hours. Rose had competed with some of the school fencers a few times, not using her real sword, of course, taken a pottery class and finally read Malcolm’s recent book on psychics.   
  
Even her last three dates with the Doctor had even been calm. Renaissance Florence was lovely and beautiful, the Festival of Lights on the planet Simpi VI was stunning and the World Fair in Chicago had remained remarkably alien free. This was why Rose Tyler was now standing in front of a small shop with her umbrella in one hand and a letter in the other. Rose was wearing her crème trench coat and a red knit cap over her loose blonde hair. She glanced at the address mentioned in the letter and back at the shop. It didn’t look like a place in trouble. Of course, Rose wasn’t really expecting it to. Once again she had doubts bubble to the surface. She looked down at the letter again and reread the neat script.  
  
Dear Miss Tyler,  
I request your assistance in handling an unusual matter that requires special skills that you possess. Please meet me this Saturday at ten o’clock at the following address.  
  
The letter had the address under the message, but no signature and Rose had been very tempted to throw it out or call UNIT until a note from Eve had arrived. It had been the shortest message that her friend had ever sent with only two words: good luck.  
  
Folding up the letter, Rose slipped it into her coat pocket and examined the shop again. It was a small place with large windows that had old antiques on display. Unfortunately, it reminded her a bit of the shop where she had bought the brooch last Christmas as part of a plan by the White Guardian. Rose’s hand went to her pocket to check that her sonic pen and phone were still in reach. She nibbled at her lip for a moment before her curiosity and sense of adventure won the internal debate. Walking across the street, Rose went to the front door, pulled it open and stepped inside the shop. An old fashioned bell rang at the top of the door breaking the silence, but Rose moved further into the shop.   
  
It was clean with glass lamps hanging throughout the main room from the high ceiling. A thick green carpet squished under Rose’s feet with each step. The room was filled with tables with various items on them from music boxes to small statues. Several paintings of varying ages were displayed on the walls or on standing easels. Her shoulder brushed a tall standing plant as she moved and she caught a glimpse of herself in an ornate full-length mirror. On a table next to her was a beautiful old fashioned necklace sitting in a small ornate box. Gently Rose picked up the box and examined the necklace, it looked almost medieval in design with a large blue stone surrounded by engraved gold and decorated with pearls.  
  
“Hello,” a strange voice called from the far side of the room.  
  
Looking to the side of the room, Rose frowned slightly as she noticed a pair of large white chairs with a small table between them. On the table was a beautiful tea service that looked strangely familiar and behind the left chair was a tall bird perch with a parrot sitting on it. Her fingers tightened around the box, snapping it closed as she took a reflective step back.  
  
“Oh no,” Rose breathed. It was all too much like the shop in London that the White Guardian and that odd servant of his had been behind. Rose turned back towards the door and started to walk towards it.  
  
“Please Miss Tyler,” the deep voice of the mysterious Shopkeeper called out from behind her. “Please just hear us out.”  
  
Rose sighed and turned back towards the chairs against her better judgement. The Shopkeeper was standing next to one of them. His paisley suit was neat and well-tailored just as it had been on their first meeting and he was still wearing the kufi with the large gold tassel.  
  
“I hope you had a pleasant summer,” the Shopkeeper said warmly to her with a smile.  
  
“What do you want?” Rose questioned, crossing her arms across her chest.  
  
“Please,” the Shopkeeper said gesturing to the chair in front of him. “Sit down and have some tea.”  
  
“Last time I took tea from you, it was drugged,” Rose reminded him with a raised eyebrow.  
  
The Shopkeeper nodded and looked a little embarrassed. “That was an unusual circumstance, Miss Tyler,” he insisted. “I would never harm you,” he added with conviction.  
  
His tone surprised Rose and she found herself believing that there was at least some truth in his words, but she stayed in place. The Shopkeeper sighed but nodded in understanding. A moment later there was a flash of light that disoriented Rose and forced her to blink several times.   
  
“Hello, my dear.” Rose grimaced at the voice and found the White Guardian sitting in one of the chairs with a pleased smile on his face. “Rose,” he greeted warmly. “I have a little errand for you.”  
  
Rose remained calm as she studied the Guardian for a moment. He was dressed in a perfectly clean white suit that matched his neatly trimmed white hair and beard. His tie this time was a light blue colour that matched the handkerchief in his pocket and the small flower that was pinned to his lapel. Nothing about him appeared threatening, but Rose knew that appearances were often very deceiving.   
  
“Hello Rose,” the White Guardian greeted. He turned and accepted a cup of tea from the Shopkeeper. “Please sit down.”  
  
“There are only two chairs,” Rose noted pointedly.   
  
“This one is for you,” the Shopkeeper informed her as he gestured to the empty chair. “Please sit.”  
  
“Why did you send me that letter?” Rose asked, turning her focus to the White Guardian and raising an eyebrow.  
  
The White Guardian sighed softly and set his tea back on the table by the service before looking at Rose. “Very well my dear,” he conceded. “I need your help. A situation has arisen that could potentially destroy the world you know.”  
  
Rose blinked at the matter of fact way that the White Guardian made that announcement. “What do you mean?” Rose asked with wide eyes.  
  
“Time is under attack,” the White Guardian answered calmly. “I believe you already know of the Silver Lord an abdominal mix of chronovore and Eternal, but now he has combined forces with an equally dangerous being known as the Trickster and helped him manifest himself into our universe.”   
  
“Who is the Trickster?” Rose asked with a frown. She knew that the Silver Lord was dangerous, but had never heard of this new being.   
  
It was the Shopkeeper who answered her question, “The Trickster is an extra-dimensional being who along with the rest of the Pantheon of Discord was banished from this universe. However, in certain circumstances, he is able to manifest himself within the universe long enough to create chaos which gives him power.”  
  
“Chaos,” Rose repeated thoughtfully. “Is he the Black Guardian’s servant?”  
  
“No,” the White Guardian replied quickly with a glance around. “And I wouldn’t suggest such a thing again.” The White Guardian then added, “The Trickster wishes for chaos that is capable of ripping the universe apart while the Black Guardian is still a protector of the universe. He would never work with a creature looking to destroy it.”  
  
“I see,” Rose said, now feeling concerned. “So he’s teamed up with Silver Lord now, what are they doing?”  
  
“Has the Doctor explained the Web of Time to you?” The White Guardian asked as he picked his tea up again. He took a sip as Rose shook her head. “The Web of Time was the orderly co-existence of events within Time as created by the Time Lords. It fixed certain events within time to avoid chaos and damage to time.”  
  
“The Time Lords are gone,” Rose pointed out uneasily.  
  
“Yes, and much of the Web of Time is gone, allowing Time to take on the more flexible flow that it originally possessed when the universe was new.” The White Guardian paused and added, “I never cared much for the Web of Time myself, but it had its uses.”  
  
“You said that time can mostly flex and flow now,” Rose pointed out. “Does that mean that not all of it can?”  
  
“Indeed,” the White Guardian agreed. “The Web of Time was established with several key points and planets holding it in place. Now, in addition, imagine millions of threads, timelines being twisted around each other, linking to one another over, under and around these key points. This is why despite the end of the Time Lords there are still fixed points in time. Too much structure remains in some areas of the Web of Time for all things to be rewritten. Since the Time War, time and space are more vulnerable to change and paradox as time is flexible at some point and not at all in others.”  
  
“I see,” Rose said with a concerned look. “And the Silver Lord and the Trickster are attacking this how?”  
  
“Earth I’m afraid was one of the worlds that held the Web of Time in place,” the White Guardian explained. “It is one of the reasons your planet is attacked and invaded so much. Time itself pulls beings in from around the universe, not on purpose of course, but the cosmic metaphysical placement of your world is very significant. Only a handful of worlds existed like this: Gallifrey and Skarro notably.”  
  
Rose swallowed and was sure that her face paled at the names of the gone Time Lord and Dalek homeworlds.   
  
“I see you recognise those names,” the White Guardian observed with a nod. “Well, now the timeline and history of Earth are about to come under attack in a way that would disintegrate almost all of the remaining Web of Time and possibly destroy Earth in the collapse of it.”  
  
“Okay,” Rose said with a nod. “How can I help?”  
  
“Good girl,” the White Guardian cheered warmly before he gestured to the Shopkeeper who walked around the chair to stand near Rose.   
  
“Together the Trickster and the Silver Lord have forged a new form of metal that they are calling chronosteel,” the Shopkeeper informed her with an uneasy smile. “They used their powers over time and created it in the time vortex. It can alter timelines, change destiny even in fixed points and three pieces of it are lodged at key points in the history of Earth.”  
  
The parrot nodded on his perch to the Shopkeeper and announced. “They must be recovered.”   
  
“What objects and where in history?” Rose asked, stepping closer to the Shopkeeper and the White Guardian.  
  
“Could be anything,” the Shopkeeper admitted with a shake of his head. “And anywhen?”  
  
“So what can I do?” Rose asked. “Do you need me to call the Doctor so I can travel through time in order to find these objects.”  
  
“The Doctor is of no use here,” the White Guardian informed her. “His Time Lord nature is a disadvantage here. You must go through time on your own. The Artron energy that you carry from the TARDIS will protect you in the time window.”  
  
The Shopkeeper made an elegant gesture with his hand and a glowing hole appeared in the air in front of Rose. The edges of it twisted and turned as the portal churned in the air.  
  
“If you can make that, why can’t you go?” Rose asked the Shopkeeper suspiciously.  
  
“I am a servant of the White Guardian,” the Shopkeeper explained. “I am his disciple and it is forbidden for me to travel through time.” He grinned at Rose and added, “But you can.”  
  
“If I go and I’m not saying I will,” Rose said quickly, “Then how do I get back?”  
  
“This Time Window has been locked onto the energy signature of the chronosteel,” the White Guardian explained from his chair. “It will take you near the chronosteel. Simply touch the object and it will lead you to the next one. Once you have all three we will be able to pull you back to this time. All you have to do is touch the chronosteel with your skin.”  
  
Rose looked at the Time Window nervously and then back at the White Guardian who was watching her with an expressionless face. “You’re sure the Doctor can’t help me with this one? I’ve never travelled through time on my own before.”  
  
“The chronosteel will react differently to him than it would to you,” the White Guardian said firmly. “It had to be crafted to react with humans in order to change Earth’s timeline and you are a human, but one who is aware of the proper timeline and whose touch can stabilise the effect long enough to bring the items to me.”  
  
“What will you do with them?” Rose demanded.  
  
“They will be unable to effect time in the Hall of the Universe,” the White Guardian replied. “I believe you remember it.”  
  
Rose swallowed and looked back at the Time Window. “Earth will be destroyed if I fail?”  
  
“I’m afraid so,” the White Guardian confirmed. “This plot was done to avoid the intervention of the Guardians of the Universe.”   
  
“Well then,” Rose said taking a deep breath. “What do I do to go through this thing?”  
  
The White Guardian smiled at Rose and stood from his chair. He nodded respectfully to her. “Thank you, Rose. Be careful, history can be a dangerous place.”  
  
The Shopkeeper snapped his fingers three times and the Time Window suddenly opened wide and rushed towards Rose. She flinched back on reflex as the wind howled around her and swept her up. Then everything went still and she lost track of everything.  
  
Rose forced her eyes open and sat up slowly. She was in a strange room, more like a hall actually. A timber roof was over her head with some paintings on it and elegant carvings. One the wall in the corner of her eye she saw a heavy tapestry hanging over the stone wall. Forcing herself to her feet, Rose noticed that she was still holding the jewellery box in her right hand. Once she was standing, Rose noticed the furniture and tall standing candles that were lit. The place looked strangely familiar and right out a Tudor-era history show.  
  
Footsteps down the hall made Rose turn towards the doorway just in time to see a short middle-aged woman dressed in a dark Tudor era dress walk through the door. The woman gasped at the sight of Rose but recovered quickly.  
  
“Goodness you gave me a fair fright,” the woman said as she recovered her breath. “Creeping up like that.” Then the woman’s face became confused as she studied Rose. “You are not expected until the morrow.”  
  
“Forgive me,” Rose apologised, swallowing back her nerves. “I did not mean to startle you.” Rose struggled for something to say. “It has been a long journey and I-”  
  
“Oh of course,” the woman sighed gently. “I’m sorry milady. I am certain that it has been a long journey indeed.”  
  
“And you’re expecting me,” Rose questioned.  
  
“Of course,” the woman looked confused again. “It was the Queen’s personal request that you came. Queen Jane is eager to meet you.”  
  
Rose blinked and turned back to the woman, dread settling into her stomach. She may not have been very good at history and couldn’t say for certain what year she was in, but even she knew the name, Queen Jane. Tudor Era indeed and she’d arrived after the death of King Edward and the rise of Queen Mary.   
  
“Jane?” Rose repeated softly, her mixed emotions must have shown.  
  
“Oh you are tired indeed,” the woman remarked. “I am Mistress Ellen, head of Her Majesty’s Household. I’ve been with her since she was babe. Lady Jane, she was then.”  
  
“Of course Lady Jane Grey,” Rose agreed with a nod.  
  
“She was made Queen nine days ago,” Mistress Ellen announced pleasantly.   
  
“Yes, of course,” Rose replied with a nervous swallow. “Thank you. I suppose I am simply nervous.”  
  
“Now,” Mistress Ellen said as she glanced over Rose in confusion. “We had best find you more suitable attire for the Queen’s new Lady-in-Waiting.   
  
Mistress Ellen turned away and gestured for Rose to follow her. It took Rose a moment to recover from her shock and follow. Important moments in history indeed.


	2. Mission in Time: Nine Days Queen

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Two: Mission in Time: Nine Days Queen  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
…………………………  
  
The dress was beautiful and right out of the large paintings that Rose had seen at the National Gallery, but it was also heavy. The bodice was stiff and completely foreign to Rose and the weight of the skirt made her feel off balance. None the less, Rose smiled as she caught her reflection in the mirror of the dressing room. It was a light cream colour and the cut of the dress was elegant but simple with a touch of lace. Rose’s hair was swept up in a bun and a necklace with a small stone hung around her neck. She glanced over at the table where her normal clothing was folded neatly under her coat.  
  
Mistress Ellen smiled and turned towards the doorway. Rose snatched the mobile out of the clothing pile and quickly powered it off before slipping it into her bodice to hide. She wasn’t entirely sure what could get her burned alive right now, but she was pretty sure witchcraft accusations would do the trick. Well, that and being the wrong religion which she definitely was due to an absence of religious affiliation. Without the Doctor’s presence and confidence, plus the TARDIS as an escape route Rose was finding this trip through time much more stressful than her previous trips.  
  
“A lovely gift you brought for the Queen,” Mistress Ellen complimented as she examined the necklace in the box that Rose had been transported with.   
  
“I am glad you think it will do,” Rose said as she accepted the box back from Ellen.  
  
“Her Majesty will adore it I am sure,” Ellen assured her with a smile. “Please milady, follow me.”  
  
Rose followed the older woman down one of the corridors of the Tower of London, hearing voices up ahead. They paused at an archway that was covered with a translucent white curtain. On the other side, Rose could see a figure in a gown sitting in a large wooden chair.  
  
“It is only me Your Majesty,” Ellen called with a warmth in her voice that made Rose smile sadly. “And your new lady. May we enter?”  
  
“Lady Matilda,” A voice gentle voice in the other room said, “My crown please.”  
  
Rose watched through the veil as a crown was placed on the head of the young woman with brown hair. She couldn’t see her features clearly, but the voice betrayed just how young Queen Jane was and Rose nearly flinched.   
  
“We are ready to receive you now,” the Queen called out to them.  
  
Ellen smiled at Rose and stepped through the curtain first into a small well lit room where Queen Jane sat. The Queen was dressed in an elegant gown of red and gold with a simple golden crown resting on her head. She was merely a teenage girl, her face still rounded by baby fat, but her eyes dark with worry even as she tried not to show it. Rose nervously followed Ellen towards the grand chair. A woman in her late twenties with black hair and a headdress, wearing a dress similar to Rose’s stood at the Queen’s side with a stern expression.   
  
The room wasn’t very large but richly furnished with the Queen’s grand chair at one end and a large fireplace directly opposite where a fire roared lighting up the room. Tapestries, candle holders and a small table with refreshments decorated the room. Yet there was a tension present in the room that set Rose on edge and she had to resist the urge to summon forth her sword.   
  
“Your Majesty,” Ellen greeted with a curtsey to the Queen, “May I present Lady….” The matronly woman looked at Rose with a slight flush of embarrassment, but Rose stepped forward calmly.  
  
“Lady Rose,” Rose finished, managing a decent curtsey despite the unfamiliar movement and weight of the dress. “Of Bannerman,” she added quickly realising the shortness of her introduction. It wasn’t completely false. She was a Lady thanks to Gavin, just on another planet.  
  
“I know it not,” the Queen replied, but her confused expression faded into a warm smile. “But I am most grateful that you have arrived.” The Queen looked to Ellen and announced, “You may leave us, Ellen.” The Queen then looked towards the other lady in waiting and added, “You too Matilda.”   
  
Lady Matilda gave a graceful curtsey to the Queen and move towards the doorway and Rose. She stopped just in front of Rose with a trained smile on her face as she steadied Rose. “Forgive me,” Matilda said a moment later, “But I thought the request was for an elderly companion. And I heard the Countess of Arundel was already on her way.” The false smile on Matilda’s face vanished and she turned to the Queen. “Your Majesty, can we trust this stranger?”  
  
Rose kept her expression calm and controlled even as she heard the accusation in Matilda’s voice. She’d faced aliens and wasn’t going to be upset by a snarking Tudor woman. Turning towards Queen Jane, Rose performed another curtsey and managed to keep better control of the dress this time.   
  
“I hope Her Majesty will judge me on my own character as she might judge you on yours,” Rose announced as calmly and regally as she could.   
  
Matilda kept her face calm, but the muscle of her shoulders and neck tensed as she glared at Rose. Holding back a smirk, Rose calmly met the gaze of Lady Matilda.  
  
“Well said,” the Queen complimented from her throne. Rose turned to see that Queen Jane had a slight smile on her face. “Matilda where are your manners. I say again, leave us.”  
  
Matilda curtseyed to the Queen and walked past Rose, giving her an ugly and distrustful look that the Queen could not see. Rose remained calm in place until the woman was gone, tightening her grip on the jewellery box in her hand.  
  
“And what is this you bring me?” the Queen asked as her eyes dropped to the box.  
  
Rose smiled and stepped forward with a small bow to hand the Queen the box. Queen Jane ran her fingers gently over the cravings of the elegant box for a moment before she opened it. Rose noted the girl’s pleased smile and was happy that she’d been holding something of the right time period when she was pulled through. Of course, the White Guardian may have planned it that way.   
  
“This is beautiful,” the Queen gasped. “Thank you, Lady Rose.”  
  
Queen Jane looked up at Rose and they studied each other in silence for a moment. While she was young, Rose could see a heavy tension on the teenaged girl and her eyes flickered to her hands which were peeling horribly. The Queen scratched her left hand in a stressed motion that looked painful and only caused more skin to peel.  
  
“It must be so hard for you,” the Queen remarked snapping Rose out of her thoughts. “Coming here on your own and so far from home.”  
  
“Yes,” Rose agreed with a nod. “Home is very far away.”  
  
“I am alone as well,” Queen Jane admitted softly, her expression tense and sorrowful. “Even those I thought most loyal now call for Lady Mary to be crowned in my place.” The girl’s hands shook for a moment before Queen Jane forced them still and shook her head. “Oh, it is all too distressing to discuss.”   
  
The Queen rose from her throne and walked past Rose to set the jewellery box on a table near the fireplace. In the firelight Jane only looked younger and smaller, reminding Rose very much of a girl playing dress-up in her mother’s clothing. Jane’s education must have been impressive as she was doing a remarkable job of keeping her expression neutral.  
  
“If you’d like to talk about it, I’m happy to listen,” Rose offered before she realised how horribly out of place those words were. It was the sort of thing she said to her friends, not a Queen of England.  
  
Queen Jane turned and looked at Rose, a confused, but hopeful expression on her face. Rose gave the girl a small smile of encouragement and Jane’s face eased slightly. Now she looked sad and frightened but also resigned to events out of her control.  
  
“When the King died without an heir we thought his sister Mary would take the throne, but he made me Queen,” Jane explained fidgeting, her back to Rose as she moved closer to the fire. “And I never wanted to be.” She sounded ready to cry now as her careful acting fell away. “My father–in-law saw it as a way to gain power for himself.”  
  
“Father-in-law? You’re married?” Rose asked in shock.  
  
Jane turned to look at Rose and sighed while nodding, “My mother forced me to marry Lord Dudley.” Jane walked closer to Rose and added, “The man is an arse.” Jane chuckled at the words and shook her head. Laughing, Rose joined Jane in front of the fire as the younger girl continued to vent. Rose couldn’t help but wonder how long her unhappiness and fear had been building up, probably longer than just the last few days.  “He talks of nothing but himself, fails to compliment me if I wear a new gown,” Jane listened off with resignation. “And he never washes,” she added with a laugh.  
  
Rose chuckled, “I know men like that.”  
  
Jane laughed and turned to Rose. “I like you, Lady Rose,” Jane said warmly. “It feels as if it has been forever since someone spoke to me as a person. Tell me of yourself.”  
  
“There isn’t much to tell I’m afraid,” Rose replied with a slight shrug.  
  
“Are you married?” Jane questioned.  
  
“No,” Rose said with a laugh, but Jane gave her a confused look. “I’m only nineteen.”  
  
“I am sixteen and wed,” Jane replied. “Surely you have a sweetheart. A gentleman who occupies your thoughts?”  
  
“Yes,” Rose answered with a small smile. “I do and we are to be wed in the future.” Rose’s smile widened at those words. It almost made her sound engaged, to the Doctor of all people. Of course currently, his Ninth self was avoiding her due to his attraction to her. “But I’m not sure that I’d call him a gentleman,” Rose added with a smirk.  
  
Jane truly laughed now and stepped closer. “Bit of a rouge is he?”  
  
“Oh, he can be,” Rose agreed with a smile. “He can also be very charming and sweet,” Rose assured Jane. “Very kind, compassionate and good to others.”  
  
Rose shifted towards the table, gently touching one of the goblets sitting on it. She wondered if there was a discrete way to touch Jane’s crown. The chronosteel was a metal so maybe that was it, but could that change history? Rose felt very confused and wished she knew her history better. She only knew Queen Jane was the Nine Days Queen after Mary took power and nothing of the lords involved or anything else that may have occurred.  
  
“Is he handsome?” Queen Jane questioned, pleased for the distraction.  
  
“Very,” Rose answered, “But I’ll not tell him that, his ego is healthy enough as it is.”  
  
Rose’s eyes went throughout the room and she wondered if she needed to leave Jane and search the whole of the Tower of London. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that a change in history would have to do with the transition from Queen Jane to Queen Mary. But perhaps the object was with Mary and not Jane. She had no idea of what nearby could near to the Time Window she’d been tossed through.  
  
“Lady Rose?” Queen Jane asked as Rose touched another goblet. “Are you looking something?”  
  
“Sorry Your Majesty,” Rose said quickly turning back to Jane. “I’m meant to be… it’s complicated,” she finished hesitantly.  
  
Jane gave Rose a searching look before she said, “You can tell me. We are friends now are we not?”  
  
“Yes, we are,” Rose agreed, feeling a twisting in her heart at the spark of relief in Jane’s eyes at her words.  
  
Just then Ellen and Matilda walked into the room, not announcing themselves. “What is it, Mistress Ellen?” Jane asked in a soft voice, sounding worried.  
  
Ellen’s face was sorrowful and she needed a moment to gather herself. “Tis ill tidings,” Ellen managed to say. “Mary and her army have reached London.”  
  
Jane struggled to breathe, her face pale and her hands shaking as Matilda stepped forward and held out a roll of paper. “This was nailed to door of St. Paul’s,” the dark haired woman informed Jane.  
  
Jane turned her eyes away from the scroll and said, “I fear to read it.” Her hands were twisting together and her body was shivering despite her closeness to the fire.  
  
Rose stepped forward next to Jane and touched her arm gently before taking the scroll from Matilda’s hand. She looked at Jane who nodded to her. Opening the scroll, Rose stepped closer to the fire so she could read the words.  
  
“On this, the nineteenth day of July 1553 Lady Mary justly claimed the Crown of England and she calls upon all her subjects to reject,” Rose looked up at Jane’s pale face, “Any unlawful claimants.”  
  
Jane’s shaking hands went to her crown and she carefully lifted it off of her head. “I have no need of this,” she announced trying to keep her voice steady. “For I am no longer Queen.” Jane swallowed and kept her eyes on her hands as she set the crown on the small table with the refreshments. “If I am not Queen then I made false claim to the throne and that makes me a traitor.” Jane looked up at Ellen and softly said, “Punishment for traitors is death.”  
  
The room was still after Jane’s words, no one spoke or cried despite the feeling that they all wished to. Even though Rose had only just met the girl she felt a deep sorrow. She hadn’t wished to be Queen and had only wound up Queen due to King Edward’s desire to prevent Mary from taking the throne and her horrible father-in-law's political manipulations. A man that Rose noted bitterly wasn’t even present.   
  
“I believe that I shall retire now,” Jane announced raising her chin bravely. “I need some rest.”  
  
Ellen nodded and moved forward to take Jane’s arm. Matilda gave Rose a sour look before she followed them out the room. Watching them go, Rose clutched and unclutched her hands a few times trying to calm down. The fire was beginning to die down and she wondered if the servants had fled and she should see to it, then she wondered if it mattered. Her eyes fell on the crown which Jane had placed on the table. Walking over to it, Rose glanced down the hall before she carefully touched the metal. Nothing happened and she sighed before moving through the room to examine any other objects of note, but the chronosteel was nowhere to be found.  
  
Wandering out of the room, Rose moved through the quiet halls of the Tower of London. Her mind went back to her UNIT memories of this place and its famous bloody history. Slipping her hand into her bodice, Rose retrieved her phone and looked at it calmly. The White Guardian had said that history was under threat and that the Doctor couldn’t help, but Rose didn’t want this to be history. She didn’t want that teenage girl to die. Sighing, Rose leaned against the wall and closed her eyes trying to make sense of it all. If Jane held onto the throne now, which wasn’t a high probability with Mary’s army in the city then she’d probably have children and change the entire course of history. What might an England ruled by the descendants of Jane Grey look like compared to the England that Rose knew? Would it be better, worse or not even exist any longer due to the chronsteel making time unstable.   
  
Mistress Ellen found Rose still leaning against that wall what seemed like hours later. The older woman paused by her and seemed to be trying to find something to say. Rose kept her eyes fixed on one of the wooden ceiling panels as she tried to pull herself back from the depression that was trying to overtake her.  
  
“They’re going to execute her,” Rose said, not looking at Ellen. “She is only sixteen and she hasn’t done anything wrong.” Rose looked over at Ellen.  
  
“We could all face the axe milady,” Ellen told her with a shake of her head.  
  
“There must be something we can do,” Rose insisted straightening up.  
  
“Not tonight there isn’t,” Ellen answered gently, but the pain in her voice remained. “We shall see what morning brings.”  
  
Rose nodded as Ellen bid her goodnight and walked down the corridor, but stopped when movement at the far end caught her eyes. Lady Matilda was speaking with a guard quietly with a strange expression on her face. As the guard departed Matilda turned sharply towards the nearby staircase. Without hesitation, Rose gathered up some of her dress and followed as quickly as she could. When Matilda reached a window and began to open it, Rose ducked into the shadows and peeked carefully around the corner.   
  
“Trent?” Matilda called quietly. “Trent are you there?”  
  
Rose couldn’t see another person from the angle she was at, but based on Matilda’s next words she guessed that Trent had come over. “Have you word from Sir Thomas?” There were muted whispers from outside the window that Rose couldn’t make out. Matilda reached through the window and Rose wondered if she was escaping. But the next moment she straightened up and was holding something in her hand.  
  
“If this is what I think it is I will not have to hide my true purpose much longer.”   
  
Matilda shifted back into the light of a candle and Rose could see that she was holding some kind of letter. She tore it open with shaking hands. There was a moment of silence as the woman read the letter. Then she folded it back up with a deep breath and handed it back out the window.  
  
“Tell Sir Thomas the deed will be done by daybreak.”  
  
“God speed, milady,” a male voice answered, much louder than before.   
  
Rose’s eyes widened as a long silver dagger in a black sheath was handed to Matilda. The woman held it with near reverence in both hands. “It is time to bid Lady Jane Grey farewell,” Matilda intoned as she drew the dagger out to inspect it. “For she dies tonight.”


	3. Mission in Time: Her Angel

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Three: Mission in Time: Her Angel  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
………………………..  
  
Rose was frozen in shock for roughly thirty seconds before Matilda inspected the blade again and took a deep breath. The older woman moved towards the staircase with a determined expression which spurred Rose to action.  
  
“Matilda stop!” Rose shouted as she moved forward, pulling up the hem of her dress.  
  
Matilda looked over at her with wide eyes before she rushed to the stairs at an alarming pace. Forcing herself to move faster, Rose rushed after the woman cursing the uncomfortable and restrictive dress that gave Matilda an advantage. The older woman pulled ahead of her and rushed through a heavy wood door. It took Rose only a moment to realise that it led to Jane’s bedchamber. The door slammed shut and Rose heard a scream in the time it took her to reach the door. She grabbed at the handle and tried to push the door open, but Matilda must have blocked the door. Rose grunted and pushed her weight against the heavy wood enough to force it open a few inches.   
  
“Help!” Jane’s voice shouted from the other side.  
  
Adrenaline rushed through Rose at the frightened voice and she slammed her body against the door again. It opened a few more inches and Rose leveraged herself into the door frame, pushing as hard as she could to open it a little further. A wooden chest had been pulled in front of the door and Rose quickly jumped over it as she searched the room for Jane.  
  
Lady Jane was frantically ducking away from Lady Matilda as the woman swung the dagger wildly. Judging from the open slice on the bed Jane had woken up just in time to avoid the first attack. Rushing forward, Rose jumped across the bed to put herself between Jane and Matilda. The dark haired woman stepped back in alarm as Rose summoned her sword and raised it front of her, disregarding the possible consequences.  
  
“I will not hesitate to use this Matilda,” Rose announced coldly as she met the brown eyes of the lady in waiting. “Drop it now.”  
  
There was hesitation in Matilda’s eyes but a moment later she launched herself forward at Rose, slashing at her. Rose caught Matilda’s arm with her left hand and slammed the woman’s arm against the solid wood bedpost. Matilda gave a cry of pain but didn’t drop the dagger. Rose slammed her arm against the post again while bringing her sword up threatening. The knife fell to the floor with a clatter. Jane darted forward and grabbed the dagger as Rose turned Matilda and shoved her away.   
  
Rose calmly watched as Matilda backed away from her with wide eyes. Jane moved forward to stand next to Rose, her grip tight on the dagger. Then Mistress Ellen rushed into the room, nearly tripping over the trunk. A guard followed her in and Rose stepped in front of Jane as the girl was only in a nightdress.  
  
“Are you alright?” Rose asked softly.  
  
“I am fine,” Jane replied as she caught her breath. “You saved my life.”  
  
“What happened here?” Ellen asked, her eyes darting to the sword in Rose’s hand and the shaking Matilda.  
  
“Matilda just tried to kill Lady Jane,” Rose said glaring at the woman in question.  
  
“A treacherous Catholic?” Ellen hissed, moving towards Jane protectively. The guard moved behind Matilda and Rose risked a glance back at Jane who moved closer to Ellen.  
  
“I am no Catholic,” Matilda informed them as she straightened up. “I’m a Protestant.”  
  
“One of my own?” Jane asked with confusion. “Then why?”  
  
“Your death would have inspired thousands to rise up against Mary,” Matilda insisted. “But now she will simply lock you up and then one day she will have you quietly executed when you could have died a martyr.”  
  
The guard grabbed Matilda and Rose turned to Jane. The girl had a frightened, but horribly thoughtful look on her face. A shimmer in the corner of her eyes made Rose’s gaze drop to the dagger that Jane was still clutching tightly. The metal was almost glowing silver giving off a strange aura. No one else seemed to notice and Rose’s heart jumped as she recognised the object that was changing history.  
  
She had been so wrong to think that the change would be Jane’s life with a new royal lineage overseeing England. It had never been about Jane’s life, only her death. Rose’s eyes went back to Jane’s pale face and she had to instantly look away. The girl was only sixteen, but it seemed that her death couldn’t be prevented even by the Chronosteel.   
  
“You weren’t supposed to die tonight,” Rose said softly as her eyes went back to Jane. “I was sent here to save you.”  
  
“You haven’t saved Lady Jane,” Matilda hissed in a blend of rage and resignation. “You have condemned her to die like a common traitor. Forgotten and alone.”  
  
Jane nodded to the guard who pulled Matilda from the room. The young girl said nothing as she turned and walked out the door. Rose glanced at Ellen who had started to cry softly. She touched Jane’s nurse on the shoulder before she followed Jane out of the room.  
  
Rose found Jane back in her reception room standing in front of the fireplace. It was burning low so without a word Rose moved forward and collected a few of the waiting logs. Stepping back, Jane gave Rose room to come closer to the fire and watched in silence as Rose carefully added the fresh wood. She examined the flames for a moment before spotting a few fireplace tools and used one to push the logs back into the surviving flames. Thinking of a movie she’d seen, Rose poked at the embers and smiled when the heat intensified and the wood caught fire. Not too bad for a Londoner who’d never bothered with a fireplace before.  
  
Moving back from the fire, Rose waited patiently for Jane to say something. The look on the girl’s face was heartbreaking as the girl had given up trying to hide her fear.   
  
“I am afraid of what the morning may bring,” Jane finally admitted in a shaky voice. It was clear that the girl was only just holding back tears. “I fear I do not have long for this world.” Jane took another shaky breath and a few tears ran down her cheeks before she covered her face. Rose didn’t move from her spot. “Forgive me,” Jane gasped. “But I feel so alone.”  
  
“You’re not alone Lady Jane,” Rose assured her as she stepped closer to Jane. The girl turned to Rose, her eyes wide. “You have me,” Rose promised.  
  
Jane opened her mouth to answer, but Ellen walked into the room drawing Jane’s attention. “Ellen, has Lady Matilda been secured?”  
  
“Yes Jane,” Ellen answered with a sorrowful expression. “So have we. The palace is surrounded by Mary’s guards.”  
  
Jane turned away from Ellen towards the fire again. “Then I was right, the end is not far away.”  
  
“Can’t we just tell Mary the truth?” Rose asked a hint of desperation in her voice. “You were used by King Edward and your family. You didn’t want to be Queen.”  
  
“I fear Mary still sees Jane as a threat,” Ellen said softly. “If she is to restore the Catholic faith she will not want Jane fueling the Protestant cause.”  
  
Both Ellen and Rose looked over at Jane who stared into the fire for a moment. Then the girl took a deep breath and turned to look directly at Ellen. “You may go now Ellen,” Jane told her with both sadness and warmth in her voice. “Try to get to safety.”  
  
The woman nodded and turned away from them, leaving the room slowly. Rose watched the figure go and noted her shaky shoulders. She doubted that Ellen would go very far from Jane and was merely leaving to grieve. Once Ellen was gone Rose looked back to Jane.  
  
“Somehow I knew when Father brought me here to be crowned that I would not leave,” Jane confessed as she looked everywhere except Rose. “This castle is my palace, but now it is my prison.” The girl struggled for a moment, taking several shallow breaths to hold off her tears. Rose was silent unsure of what she could possibly say. Then Jane turned to Rose and forced a small smile on her face. “As I am no longer Queen you may return home if you wish.”  
  
It took Rose a moment to process the words and her eyes fell on the dagger that Jane had discarded on the small table near the fireplace. “You’re right,” Rose agreed. “I could go home so easily.” The dagger shimmered to Rose’s eyes once again, almost calling to her, but Rose shook her head. “But I’m not going to. Not yet, not while you still need a friend.”  
  
Jane’s face was sorrowful, relieved and happy all at the same moment as a watery smile took over the teenager’s face. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Rose tightly. Rose returned her embrace, gently stroking Jane’s loose hair. A few moments later she felt and heard Jane begin to cry softly, releasing her sorrow at last. Rose desperately wished she knew what to say, but what could a person possibly say to a teenager girl who knew she was going to be a prisoner for the rest of her life until she met the executioner. Rose didn’t know who long Jane stood there in her arms crying before the young lady pulled back and wiped her tears away. Jane gave Rose a soft smile before she glanced at the doorway and then down at her nightgown.  
  
“I will not be sleeping any longer this night,” Jane sighed. “Would you help me dress?”  
  
“Of course,” Rose replied with a nod. “But I’m afraid that you’ll have to lead the way.”  
  
Jane chuckled and reached for Rose’s hand, clutching the older girl’s fingers in a way that betrayed her fear, but also her determination. As Jane lead Rose through the hall, she was amazing at the great dignity of the girl. She had no idea what Mary was truly like, but at that moment Rose could not imagine she could possibly be more regal than Jane.   
  
It did not surprise Rose that they found Ellen in the wardrobe room, sitting in a chair in the corner. The woman looked up at them as they entered the room, tear tracks on her face, but the woman’s grief seemed beyond that. Ellen rose from her chair quickly and took Jane’s hand to lead her back behind a screen.  
  
“I’ll see to milady,” Ellen said with a soft note in her voice. “Just as I always have.”  
  
Rose nodded in understanding and stepped back. Her eyes fell upon her bundle of clothing on the table and she considered her options for a moment. The White Guardian had said that there were three points in time and when Rose touched the dagger she’d be transported to the next location. A Tudor dress, however, beautiful would not do. Glancing back towards the screen that hid Lady Jane and Ellen Rose nodded to herself and grabbed her clothes.  
  
“I shall be in the reception room milady,” Rose informed them. “Awaiting your return.”  
  
“Thank you, Lady Rose,” Jane answered gratefully.  
  
Rose ducked into the next room over and carefully shed the elegant dress and jewellery. She retrieved her mobile and changed back into her jeans, feeling a great relief at the ease of movement they gave her. Rose double checked that she had everything that she had come with before gently draping the dress across a chair. Despite the fact that Mary would be taking over and Rose now carried a deep anger towards the next ruler the dress was still too lovely for her to throw in the fire.  
  
Returning to the reception room, Rose glanced back at the dagger which shimmered again. She was more completely confident that she was only one who could see it. “Just wait,” Rose whispered. “I’ll go soon, but not yet.”  
  
Rose pulled out her mobile and her finger hovered over the speed dial for the TARDIS. She wanted to call the Doctor and beg him to take Jane away, but she knew better. The Doctor had explained about fixed points in time and Rose now had a sinking feeling that Jane’s death, one way or another, at the age of sixteen was one of them. Of course, there was a tremendous difference between knowing about fixed points in time and being confronted with one you desperately wanted to change.   
  
Rose took a chair from the side of the room and pulled it over in front of the fire, hanging her trench coat over the back of it. She sat down and stared into the fire for a few minutes before she stood and pulled another chair over for Jane. Rose shifted the small round table where the dagger waited between the two chairs and within easy reach.  
  
Footsteps at the door made Rose turn towards it. Jane stood at the threshold wearing a white gown that was heavily embodied with a grey-blue bodice. Around her neck was an elegant necklace, a dark sapphire mounted in a round golden setting that hung from a heavy golden chain decorated with more sapphires. Jane's hair was piled up on her head with a simple white and gold headdress. She stood from the chair and smiled at Jane.  
  
“How do I look?”  
  
“Very becoming milady,” Rose told her with a smile even as Jane’s eyes took in her own new appearance. “How do I look?”  
  
“Different,” Jane replied slowly before she smiled, “But it suits you.” Rose motioned for Jane to sit in the waiting chair. The younger girl did so with a smile and turned her attention fully on Rose. “You said something odd earlier,” Jane said once Rose was seated again. “About being sent here?”  
  
“Yes I did,” Rose agreed as she looked over at Jane. “I was sent here on a mission.”  
  
“On a mission to save me?” Jane questioned with a slight tilt of her head.  
  
“I wish I could really save you,” Rose confessed sadly. “Not just from Matilda, but from all of this. From what’s to come, but I can’t.” Rose shook her head and swallowed.  
  
Jane reached over and touched Rose’s hand which was on the armrest of her own chair drawing Rose’s eyes back to her. “We each have a path that we must tread and this is mine. I hope that I will be remembered even though I was Queen just nine days.”  
  
“Of course you’re remembered,” Rose promised with small smile. “You’ll be remembered for hundreds of years to come.”  
  
“You say that with such strange certainty Lady Rose,” Jane observed with a small suspicious smile as she studied Rose.  
  
“I am certain,” Rose replied with a secretive smile. “You’ll not be forgotten. That is the truth.”  
  
Jane’s eyes searched Rose’s face in silence and Rose met the gaze calmly. “How is it that you seem so wise?” Jane questioned. “Is there something you’re not telling me?” Jane paused and seemed to consider her next question for a moment as Rose looked into the fire. “Are you truly of this world?”  
  
Rose chuckled and turned back to Jane with a small smile. “Of course I am Jane.”  
  
She got the feeling that Jane didn’t believe her. Jane shook her head before saying, “Whoever you are and wherever you are from I am grateful that you came. I would not wish to spend these last hours of freedom with anyone else.”   
  
Rose smiled in response to the sentiment and they stared at each other in a peaceful moment before Jane turned and picked up the box that Rose had given her only hours before. Jane opened it and pulled out the necklace that Rose had presented her with. It was simpler than the one Jane was wearing with a larger and lighter blue stone and a pearl chain.   
  
“I think this goes better with my dress,” Jane observed with a smile. “Will you help me?”  
  
Rose stood from her chair and moved behind Jane to undo the latch of the necklace. Taking the pearl necklace from Jane, Rose set aside the necklace and gently placed the pearl necklace around Jane’s neck and fastened in the back.  
  
“Thank you,” Jane said as she touched the blue stone with a smile. “I have a fondness for pearls.”  
  
“Then this one is better suited,” Rose agreed with a smile before she moved to retake her seat.   
  
Jane caught her hand to stop her before she picked up the elegant sapphire necklace that Rose had set aside. Jane smiled up at Rose and said, “I would like you to have this.”  
  
“Jane,” Rose gasped as she looked at the elegant necklace. “You don’t have to do that.”  
  
“I wish to,” Jane insisted warmly. “All but you and Ellen have deserted me. It is strange that in my last hours I would meet such a friend. I accepted a necklace from you and want you to have one from me.”  
  
Rose swallowed and took the necklace from Jane’s hand. She studied it and frowned at the small clasp at the back of the sapphire pendant. “What’s this?”  
  
“It detaches,” Jane answered with a laugh. “You can wear it on a different chain or as a brooch that way.”  
  
“Oh,” Rose said as she sat down in her chair and fastened the necklace around her neck. It was heavy, but strangely comforting even if it probably looked extremely odd with her blue jeans and black long sleeved scoop neck. “Thank you, Jane.”  
  
“Promise me that you will leave soon,” Jane begged, suddenly serious. “It is too dangerous for you to remain.”  
  
“I said I’d stay by your side,” Rose replied. “I meant it.”  
  
“They will arrest you too,” Jane insisted.  
  
“You don’t need to worry about me,” Rose reminded her with small smile. “I can look after myself.”  
  
“With your sword?” Jane asked curiously. “That weapon just appeared in your hand.”  
  
Rose was spared from having to reply by Ellen entering the room. Jane looked over at her old nurse in fear and rose to her feet. The Lady Jane and her nurse stared at each other for a moment later before Ellen managed to speak.  
  
“I’m so sorry Jane,” Ellen said. “Queen Mary has ordered that you be taken to the keep to await trial.” Ellen was holding back tears as she added, “You must come now.”  
  
Jane’s eyes were damp, but she managed a small smile for Ellen. “Do not fret Ellen. I’ve done my living and I am ready for something far more important.” Rose stared at the girl. “I may go to my death,” Jane breathed as she took Rose’s hand and looked at her. “But it will not be in vain.” Jane took a deep breath. “Tell me again I am not forgotten.”  
  
“I promise you,” Rose managed to say as she held back her tears. “Not by your people, not by history and never by me,” Rose said as squeezed the girl’s hand.  
  
“Goodbye Rose, my friend. It is time for me to leave you now.”  
  
“And for me to leave you,” Rose whispered. “Goodbye Jane,” Rose said before she leaned forward and kissed Jane’s forehead.   
  
Jane nodded to Rose and moved away to join Ellen who took her hands with a sad smile. Rose watched them for a moment before she pulled on her coat and put her hat back on. Looking over at Jane, Rose managed a smile and picked up the dagger. She met Jane’s eyes as the time window activated and she vanished from the Nine Days Queen’s sight in a flash of white light.  
  
“Tis witchcraft,” Ellen gasped, but Jane smiled.  
  
“Lady Rose is not of this world, but she is no witch Ellen,” Jane said with a knowing smile. “She is an angel. I suspected as much.” Jane’s smile softened. “And as angels speak only the truth I know I do not die in vain.”  
  
Ellen smiled and touched Jane’s shoulder as the teenager straightened up, a look of determination and great dignity on her face. Jane nodded to herself and gently touched the necklace around her neck before she turned to the doorway and left the reception for the last time.


	4. Mission in Time: Fight Them on the Beaches

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Four: Mission in Time: Fight Them on the Beaches  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
…………………..  
  
Rose forced herself from the fog that filled her mind; there was something she was supposed to do. Shifting her body finished the job of waking her up as Rose realised that she was definitely not at home and was instead on the ground somewhere. Her eyes snapped open and she found herself staring up at the blue sky. She sat up slowly, taking stock of her body and waiting for any pain. There was none and Rose looked down at her hand where she was gripping a shining silver dagger. Everything snapped back into place: the White Guardian, the chronosteel and… Jane. Swallowing thickly, Rose climbed to her feet and carefully slipped the dagger into the left pocket of her crème coat as she looked around.  
  
She was surrounded by tall thick bushes and small trees. There were rolling hills around her and Rose distantly recognised the smell of the ocean. An idea occurred to her and Rose pulled out her mobile phone and switched it back on. She resisted the urge to call the Doctor and instead looked at the date on the phone, curious as to if the Doctor’s upgrades synched it with the current date. Rose raised an eyebrow at the date: 7 June 1941.  
  
“Right,” Rose said as she tucked her phone away. “World War II, figures.”   
  
Looking around for any signs of civilisation, Rose sighed when she didn’t see any houses or other buildings. She turned in the direction of the sea breeze and sound of the waves and started walking. Rose was soon out of the trees and bushes and into a field of tall grass that allowed her to see the water in the distance.  
  
“Psst!” A sudden noise said to her right. Rose turned and looked around, but didn’t see anyone. “Psst!” Her eyes caught movement in the grass a few feet away and she could see a touch of white clothing hidden by the grass.  
  
The face of a teenaged boy with dark brown hair popped up behind a clump of grass and said, “Quick or they’ll see you. Get down.”  
  
Deciding not to argue, Rose crouched to the ground and crept forward to join the boy on a sand dune. He was wearing cloth shorts with a long sleeved shirt with rolled up sleeves and sweater vest. He nodded to her as she joined him and picked up a pair of binoculars which he turned towards the beach. Rose was silent for a moment as she studied the boy, she wasn’t certain that he was English since she had her translator, but the clothing, the year and the sea made her think there was a very high chance of it. The kid looked like he had stepped out of the photos in her old history book.   
  
“I’m Rose,” she said softly. “And you?”  
  
“I’m George,” the boy replied lowering his binoculars to look at her. “George Woods.” He raised his binoculars again to look out towards the sea.  
  
Rose turned to look in the same direction and in the distance could see a small boat and three figures pulling it to shore. “What’s going on?” Rose questioned in a low voice.  
  
“Germans,” George replied. “I’m sure of it.”  
  
“When you say Germans you actually mean Nazis?” Rose whispered in a stunned voice. She squinted at the figures, but couldn’t make out any details. ‘Let me have a look, George.”  
  
The teenager handed her the binoculars and Rose peered through them. “Nothing distinct,” Rose observed. “They could be ours, George,” she added as the men drug their raft onto the beach. Then the men opened their long coats revealing their uniforms, even with as bad at history as Rose was she recognised them. “I can see their uniforms now, you’re right.”  
  
“They must have come in on a U-boat,” George insisted lowly. “An invasion.”   
  
“We shall fight them on the beaches,” Rose quoted from a distant memory as George took the binoculars. “Who can we warn?” Rose questioned as she pulled her red cap off and shoved it into the pocket of her coat so they didn’t draw attention.  
  
“The home guard of course,” George answered. “My village is nearby.”  
  
“That’s good news,” Rose agreed as George climbed to his feet.   
  
Rose joined him and they remained low to the ground until they were sure they were out of sight. Then George took off in a quick run and Rose rushed after him, glancing over her shoulder as they raced through a field. Up ahead she could see a steeple and a stone wall. George didn’t bother with the gate and jumped over the stone wall and into the cemetery when they reached it. Rose couldn’t quite help but smile at the boy as she vaulted over the wall. They burst into the church and George finally stopped and took a large breath, gasping for air.   
  
“Where’s the phone, George?” Rose questioned.  
  
“This way,” George managed as he tried to catch his breath. He rushed to the front of the church and pulled aside a curtain to reveal a large phone built into the wall. Rose stayed back, gaping at the odd thing with the strange hand crank. George didn’t hesitate and picked up the headset and turned the crank.   
  
“Operator?” George called. “Hello, operator?” Then he tapped the phone twice before putting down the headset. He turned quickly to Rose with a look of shock. “It’s dead! It’s completely dead.”  
  
“Is there another way of contacting them?” Rose questioned, even as her hand slipped into her pocket to her mobile.  
  
“I remember Mister Port saying something about ringing the church bell, but that was only in a real emergency.”  
  
“That’s what this is,” Rose hissed as she looked out the window. The three men were at the churchyard gate.   
  
Her eyes darted around the church and landed on a door at the side of the hall. She grabbed George’s hand and pulled him through the church and into the sacristy. It was cramped with only one very high window and curtains hanging on the wall along with the vestments. They were able to close the door almost completely shut just before the three men entered the church hall.  
  
Rose pushed George away from the door and knelt near the open crack to listen. She gave a quiet thank you for her translator as she caught a few of the men’s words as they unpacked their weapons from long bags and gently took a case to the front altar. They were talking about early warning systems and the location of the village. Rose reached back and snatched the binoculars out of George’s hand. The angle was awkward so she could only use one side of the binoculars to peer through the crack.  
  
“Our victory is at hand,” the leader of the men said. Rose wasn’t certain of Nazi insignia, but she thought he was a colonel while the others were clearly foot soldiers. “Open the case.” One of the men stepped forward and opened the large case revealing a system of wires and coils. Rose wasn’t sure, but it looked like it could be some kind of transmitted.  
  
The colonel moved to their supplied and gently pulled out another large case which he brought to the altar. Rose shifted slightly, trying to better see what was happening. The colonel carefully lifted a large object out of the case and held it with near reverence. Rose couldn’t see anything until he turned to face the foot soldiers. The object was completely made of metal, a silvery metal that glowed and pulsed to Rose’s vision and looked similar to a hammer.  
  
“Thor’s hammer,” the colonel announced. “All of its power in the service of the Fatherland.”  
  
“That’s it,” Rose muttered to herself. “The object in this time.”  
  
“What’s happening?” George whispered.  
  
“They said something about early warning systems and have some kind of transmitter,” Rose whispered, unsure of what else to say.   
  
“How do you know that?”  
  
“I speak German,” Rose replied with a shrug as she watched the colonel place the hammer into the case with the transmitter. A dull hum became to echo in the church hall. “George is there another way out of here?” Rose asked as she crept back from the door. “We have to get help.”  
  
They climbed to their feet and Rose turned to see George moving to a curtain at the side of the room. “This leads outside through a shed,” he answered.  
  
George pulled the green curtains apart quickly, but the metal rings of the curtain caught on the rail and created a horribly loud crash. In the church hall, Rose heard the colonel shouting to the soldiers to investigate.  
  
“I think they heard that,” Rose muttered as George looked at her in horror. “Hurry George!”  
  
The boy opened and pulled open a half sized doorway in the wall. “Rose quick!” George called as he ducked through the door and into the storage shed.  
  
Rose glanced over her shoulder as one of the soldiers burst into the room, but dove into the shed and slammed the door. George grabbed her hand and helped her through the shed and out the exterior door. Once they were outside George twisted the handle, jamming the door behind them.   
  
“This way!” George shouted as he rushed across the cemetery with Rose following. Behind her, Rose could hear shouting and banging as the Nazi’s tried to break down the shed door. She vaulted over the wall again and stayed low just as a machine gun was fired behind them. Taking a quick breath, Rose glanced at George to see that the boy was pale.  
  
“Which way?” Rose hissed to draw the teenager’s attention.  
  
“The village is this way,” George called with a quick nod. “Stay low.”  
  
“I doubt they’ll follow us,” Rose said as she obeyed George’s order. “But let’s hurry anyway.” They kept running until George led them to a path through the shrubs and bushes. “I need to get that hammer!” Rose insisted.  
  
“You can get it when the home guard deals with the gerries!”  
  
They rushed around a corner and Rose jumped to the side as a woman on a bicycle nearly collided with George. Her brown hair was twisted into an odd style that Rose hadn’t seen in her own time and she was dressed in a neatly pressed brown skirt and vest with a yellow blouse. At the front of her old-fashioned bike was a wicker basket with several parcels stacked in it.  
  
The woman gasped and skid to a halt, “Young man look where you are going.” She took a breath and calmed enough to see who it was that had nearly collided with her. “George?”  
  
“I’m glad to see you miss,” George cheered as he tried to catch his breath. The woman’s eyes shifted over to Rose, confusion clear in her eyes. “Three Germans,” George gasped which immediately drew the woman’s attention back to him. “At the church.”  
  
“Who’s this?” Rose asked as she studied the woman in front of her.  
  
“Miss Wyckham my school teacher,” George answered quickly. “We were able to hide at the front of the church, but they know we were there now. We’ve got to inform the home guard.”  
  
“They’ve been captured too,” Miss Wyckham informed him urgently. “And the whole of Little Molding.”  
  
“Everyone in the village?” Rose questioned. “How many Germans are there?”  
  
“Dozens,” Miss Wyckham answered. “The place is surrounded, but I managed to slip through. We can’t go anywhere near the village.”  
  
“Then what now?” George asked.  
  
“We have no choice but to go to St. Michael’s,” Miss Wyckham told him. “Right now we’re the only chance of stopping whatever the Germans have planned there. They clearly didn’t want anyone in the village around the church.”  
  
“She’s right,” Rose said to George. “We have to stop the Nazis from using that transmitter of theirs.”   
  
“But they’re all armed!” George protested.  
  
“Yes George,” Miss Wyckham assured him with a small smile as she picked up one of the parcels in her basket. “And so are we.” A revolver was sitting innocently at the bottom of the basket.   
  
Rose’s eyes went to the teacher’s face trying to find a clue as to what was going on. Something didn’t match up here. If her home had been surrounded by the enemy her first instinct upon finding others would have been to tell them, not scold them for not watching where they were going. It also bothered Rose that the woman was using a bicycle and staying on the main road if she knew that there was a large force of Germans about.  
  
“Maybe one of use should head back towards the village, see if they can find any opening,” Rose suggested.  
  
“Absolutely not,” Miss Wyckham protested. “They’d shoot any of us on sight. We need to stay together.”  
  
“Right then,” George agreed with a nod. “Better leave the bike, Miss.”  
  
Miss Wyckham nodded and leaned the bike against the stone wall that lined the road. She took out the revolver and held it tightly in her grasp, a bit more familiar with it then Rose would have expected a school teacher in a small coastal village to be, but George didn’t seem alarmed. They moved quickly through the fields with Miss Wyckham leading the way and Rose trying to come up with some kind of plan.  
  
“Who are you anyway?” Miss Wyckham suddenly asked, glancing over her shoulder at Rose.  
  
“This is Rose,” George answered.  
  
“I’ve never seen you around before,” Miss Wyckham remarked. She looked at George. “Are you sure she isn’t a Nazi spy?”  
  
“She helped me,” George said even as he stopped suddenly.  
  
“None the less,” Miss Wyckham pressed, “We don’t know her. Where did you meet her?”  
  
“Near the beach,” George admitted slowly. “Near where I first spotted the Nazis.”  
  
“I’m not a Nazi,” Rose huffed. “I’m a Londoner and I got a bit lost, that’s all.”  
  
“You do speak German,” George added hesitantly.   
  
Miss Wychkam turned the gun towards Rose with a severe frown. “She’s a spy George, it’s the only explanation that makes sense. We can’t risk an enemy at our backs if we are going to stop the Nazis. She may have helped you to escape simply as a diversion to give her fellow Nazis more time.” Rose glared at the woman who stepped closer to her with a small smirk. “We can’t have her helping the Germans.”  
  
“We can’t shoot her without a trial,” George said firmly.  
  
“Then we’ll tie her up,” Miss Wyckman announced. “Have any twine or rope George?”  
  
George dug into his pocket and pulled out a long length of rope that his penknife was tied to. He freed his knife and slipped it back into his pocket before stepping forward with the rope.  
  
“Don’t resist,” Miss Wyckman told Rose. “George, tie her to a tree, we’ll come back for her later.”  
  
George glanced at Rose’s face and she nodded calmly to him, keeping her wrists still while he bound the hands. He walked her over a small nearby tree and used the remaining rope to tie her wrists against the tree. Rose shifted her wrist during the process just enough to keep her bracelet in a position to summon her sword once Wyckham was gone.  
  
“George,” she whispered to him. “Be careful, your teacher is a German plant.”  
  
“She’s been here for months,” George told her with a shake of his head. “You’re the suspicious one.”  
  
“I’ll forgive you for that statement since it's true,” Rose sighed as she tugged on the restraints. “Good job.”  
  
“Just stay here,” George plead. “The home guard will decide what to do with you later.”  
  
George rejoined Miss Wyckham who said something to him in a low voice. George nodded and started walking towards the church as Wyckham turned back to Rose and smirked. She moved closer to Rose.  
  
“British Intelligence?” Miss Wyckham questioned.  
  
“German spy?” Rose countered before she glanced at George. “You hurt that boy and I will kill you,” she hissed. The pain of Jane’s death was too raw.   
  
Miss Wyckham smirked and raised the gun. “I could easily kill you right now.”  
  
“And risk George and the home guard hearing the shot. We’re not that close to the church yet.” Rose chuckled, “You were on your way to meet them weren’t you.”  
  
“This will all be over soon,” Wyckham said confidently. “Our transmitter will knock out all the early warning systems and the glorious German Fleet will sweep across England with no resistance.”  
  
“Don’t count on it,” Rose snapped.  
  
Wyckham glared at her, but George called out in the distance for her to hurry. Wyckham huffed and turned on her heel to follow George towards the church. Rose watched them depart until their figures became fuzzy in the distance. She twisted her wrist slightly and summoned forth her sword. There was a satisfying slicing noise just before the ropes fell away from her wrist. Rose returned her sword to its bracelet form and started after George and Wyckham, rubbing her wrists.   
  
Rose reached the church only a few minutes after George and Wyckham, probably due to the benefits of not wearing heels. She carefully looked over the churchyard wall in time to see Wyckham enter the church with the gun. George rushed in after her a moment later before Rose could shout out a warning. Growling her herself, Rose vaulted over the wall and rushed towards the church. She crouched beneath a window and carefully peered inside. Wyckham was standing with Nazi colonel with a horrible smug look and pointing the gun at a stunned George.  
  
Rose glanced at the main entrance and then shook her head. Turning to the right, Rose carefully followed the church wall until she came to the small shed that she and George had escaped through. The Germans had relocked it, but Rose opened it quickly with her sonic pen and slipped inside as quietly as she could. Once inside the sacristy, Rose crawled closer to the door which the Germans had left wide open. Rose pressed herself against the same wall as the door so she was out of sight and listened.  
  
“Koenig you had one thing to do!” Wyckham hissed, probably to the colonel, “How could you let them slip through your fingers. You’re lucky that I intercepted them and was able to tie up the British Intelligence agent in the area!”  
  
“You were lying about everything! The home guard and the village being taken,” George snapped. “You were the spy all along not Rose.”  
  
“Yes and within the hour the German invasion will be underway,” Wyckham announced smugly, her voice moving further away from Rose.  
  
“Invasion?” George asked stunned. “But-”  
  
“I wasn’t posted to this dreary village at random. Little Molding’s coastline is dotted with early morning radar; they have proved irritatingly successful at alerting the enemy to our aircraft and ships.”  
  
“If we can render the entire system useless with our transmitter,” Colonel Koenig’s voice added from the same area.   
  
Rose rolled to the side and glanced out into the main hall carefully. The guards were further down the hall, guarding the main door and the colonel and Wyckham both had their backs to her and the transmitter. Creeping forward, Rose kept her eyes on the armed Germans and stepped out into the hall. George’s eyes caught hers for only half a moment before he caught on and returned his focus to the colonel.   
  
“So that device can block our radar?” George asked with side eyes.  
  
Rose made it to the altar and ducked behind it just as Wyckham answered. “Right now the German Fleet is preparing to depart harbours all along the Dutch and Belgium coast.”  
  
“And your so called British Intelligence will not know until it is far too late.”   
  
“I know,” George reminded her. “And Rose knows.”  
  
“Ah yes, the British Intelligence agent that you personally tied to a tree,” Wyckham chuckled. “Such a patriotic lad.”  
  
Rose knew that all she had to do was grab the chronosteel hammer. There was nothing between herself and it. The chronosteel would take her to the next point in time and end the Nazi’s plans, but she couldn’t. She peeked around the altar at George who was pale but standing up to the Nazi’s as bravely as he could. Rose swallowed and steeled herself. She wasn’t going to risk George dying like Jane, she couldn’t save Jane, but she wasn’t going to leave this boy to be shot by vengeful Nazis.   
  
Rose pulled her cap out of her pocket and carefully reached up to the transmitter. The chronosteel was now glowing brightly and humming in the device. Using one hand, wrapped in the cap to prevent skin contact to the chronosteel Rose pulled it from the transmitter. With her other hand, she pulled out her mobile phone.  
  
The transmitter stopped humming in less than a thirty second and Koenig spun to face Rose, raising his gun. Rose slipped the chronosteel into her pocket with the dagger, dreading the stretching to her poor coat and stepped behind the transmitter.  
  
“Careful colonel,” Rose warned. “I can smash this just by pushing it off the altar.” Rose smirked, “That is if you don’t hit it yourself.”  
  
Wyckham, Koenig and the soldiers rushed towards her and Rose held up her phone. She pressed one of the buttons and one of the silly electronic songs that came with it started to play. The Nazis all stepped back in alarm.  
  
“What is that?” Koenig demanded.  
  
“A bomb,” Rose replied calmly as she saw George slip away from the Nazis and move towards the back of the church. “A small bomb, but powerful enough to take out all of us.”  
  
“You’re bluffing,” Koenig huffed, “It can’t be.”  
  
“Oh,” Rose said raising an eyebrow, “You built this transmitter so are you really so sure that we can’t build a small bomb.” George opened a door at the back of the church and went into another room, closing the door behind him.  
  
“You can’t stop us,” Koenig insisted, taking a threatening step back until Rose moved her phone closer to the transmitter.  
  
“I’ve taken on worse than you,” Rose calmly announced. “I’ve fought monsters, gods and planet destroyers. You lot disgust me to be sure, but in the end, you’re just bullies. We are British and we will fight you until the end. It will cost lives, a lot of lives, but we’ll crush you.”  
  
The beautiful ring of the church bells suddenly begun, echoing in the main hall and Rose smiled. “That’s summoning the home guard,” Rose told the Nazis with a smile. “You’ve lost this battle and you’ll lose the war. I’ve seen it.”   
  
Koenig raised his gun towards Rose who glared at him. “The home guard is coming, Koenig, if you have any chance of getting back to Germany and not rotting in a prison here then you’d best be off.” Rose turned to Wyckham,” Or being executed as a traitor.” Rose smirked, “Run.”  
  
The ringing of the bell continued and Wyckham grabbed Koenig’s arm. “It’s over, come on!”  
  
Koenig growled and Rose ducked just before he fired the gun. The bullet hit the transmitter which sparked and caught fire. Rose stayed behind the altar as she listened to the rapid footfalls of the Nazis as they fled the church. After a moment Rose stood up and glanced down at the transmitter and turned off her phone. It was probably for the best that this piece of technology didn’t survive. Walking to the window, Rose smiled at the backs of the running Nazis before she rushed over to the door that George had vanished into.  
  
Knocking on the door, Rose shouted, “You can come out now George, they’ve gone.”  
  
George stepped out of the back room where Rose could see the bell rope behind him with a smile. “I’m sorry about earlier,” he apologised.  
  
“Actually it worked out alright,” Rose assured him with a smile. “I had a bad feeling about Wyckham from the start and wanted to find a way to separate from her before returning to the church. In her arrogance, she figured I wasn’t a problem anymore.” Rose looked back at the window. “I hope they don’t get away after all of this.”  
  
“The home guard will catch them,” George said confidently. “You can bet your life on that.” George nodded in satisfaction. “We’ll stop them, stop them all. I’m going to sign up myself.”  
  
“No!” Rose hissed as she started to pull the hammer out again, still using the cap. “I don’t want you to fight. It’s dangerous.” Rose turned towards George trying not to think about that he was the same age as Jane and trying not to think about the death toll of World War II, but she couldn’t help it. “Don’t fight in this one George,” she said simply. “I’ve already lost one friend to a war and I don’t want to find out that you died too.”  
  
George was quiet for a moment as Rose stalked up to the altar and set the hammer down before putting her cap back on. “I know how dangerous this war is. My father was lost to it, my mother is working in a factory in London and I’ve been evacuated from the only home I’ve ever known.” George’s voice hitched, but he didn’t stop. “I know that some things are worth fighting for and some causes are worth the risk of dying.” George met Rose’s eyes and added, “I bet your friend knew that too.”  
  
Rose was silent for a moment before she nodded with a sad smile on her face. “Yes she did,” Rose agreed softly. She looked back at George and walked back over to him. Placing a hand on his shoulder, Rose met his eyes and said, “Some things are worth dying for, but the best things are worth living for so please be careful.”  
  
“I promise,” George promised, raising his chin and straightening up.  
  
“Good,” Rose sighed with a nod. “Good lad. Now keep the door locked just in case and wait for the home guard.”  
  
“Where are you going?” George asked.  
  
“Onwards,” Rose chuckled, “Whenever and wherever that is.” Rose reached out and picked up the metal hammer. “I can’t really explain, but remember that you promised me that you’d be careful.”  
  
The hammer glowed brightly in Rose’s hand for a moment before activating. Rose gave a small wave to George before vanishing in a burst of white light.  
  
“Well stun me,” George said as he gaped in shock at the spot that Rose has stood. “British Intelligence indeed.”


	5. Mission in Time: First Encounters

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Five: Mission in Time: First Encounters  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
……………………  
  
Either she was getting used to travelling by time window or the closer she got to her home time the easier it got because Rose not only managed to stay conscious this time but only fell to her knees. She took in a long shaky breath and forced herself to shake off a cold feeling that clung to her. It occurred to her for the first time that she was travelling through the Time Vortex without a capsule. The Doctor had remarked about it when he took her to the past and said it was unpleasant. He had been understating it.   
  
Rose raised her head and looked around. She was in a field with tall brush surrounding her. The weather was cool and it was probably spring based on the green she could see starting to creep into the vegetation. Sitting up further, Rose peered over the grass and saw a collection of buildings about half a mile away. There was a narrow paved road a few feet from here leading towards the village. Rose glanced around and noted that otherwise, it was just farmhouses and empty countryside. Ducking back down, Rose pulled out her mobile and glanced quickly at the date. She had time to read 13 June 197- before a loud crash up ahead distracted her from the mobile. Snapping the phone shut, Rose shoved it back into her pocket and checked the dagger and hammer in her pocket. Creeping towards the road, Rose peered over the brush every few seconds trying to see what the source of the noise was. So far she could see a group of jeeps and people in what she thought might be uniforms again. Rose really hoped she wasn’t stuck in another war zone.   
  
Then another truck rushed by with an insignia that Rose did recognise: UNIT. She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Rose wasn’t aware of how many ways Earth’s history could be changed by altering events in UNIT’s history, but she didn’t like the idea and even more so she didn’t like the idea of changing her personal history by running into the wrong person. Rose crept forward letting her eyes track the moving vehicles until she came to the backside of one of the houses. Carefully, she looked through the window to glimpse into a small bedroom. Judging from the light pink duvet and the doll on the floor it belonged to a child, but it was also empty.  
  
The window was locked so Rose pulled out the sonic pen and opened the lock quickly. She leapt into the house as quickly and quietly as she could and slid the window closed again but didn’t lock it. She pulled the curtains shut and gave her eyes a moment to adjust to the darkness. Once she was sure of her ability to walk without causing a crash, Rose went to the door of the room and listened for a moment. Hearing nothing, Rose pushed the door open and peered down the hall of the house. Everything was still so she walked forward towards the front of the house past two more bedrooms.  
  
The living room was small with a comfortable looking sofa and a thick rug and wasn’t as dated as Rose would have expected. On the far side of the room was a large window that was open a crack with a warm summer breeze entering the house along with the sounds of voice and moving vehicles. Rose ducked behind the sofa for a moment before she crawled to the window on her hands and knees. Rose stayed on her knees, just below the window frame and moved carefully over to where the curtains hung. Pressing her back to the wall, Rose let out a soft breath and strained to hear what was happening outside.   
  
For a few minutes, there were only movement, the sound of boots on the stone outside and the sound of orders being given at a distance. Then things calmed down a bit and Rose took a chance and peered out the window while trying to keep herself hidden behind the curtain as much as possible. She hoped that if anyone saw the curtain move they’d just attribute it to the open window and the wind. At first Rose didn’t notice anything special as she looked past the small garden and gate to the village’s central area which was down the street. A few UNIT trucks were parked in the centre of the village square, right in front of the pub and shop. Soldiers were armed and patrolling the inside of the town. Rose ducked behind the curtain, trying to figure out a way to get closer to the main action rather than be stuck down the street. The problem was that she had no idea what she needed to find yet and her identification would tell UNIT that she wasn’t from around here very quickly.  
  
“There is nothing here, your machines must have been mistaken,” a familiar male voice said beyond the window.   
  
Rose straightened and peeked outside again to see two male and a short female figure standing at the house’s gateway. Rose gasped softly as she studied the three figures since she recognised two of them almost right away. The first man who was closest to the gate had dark brown hair and a moustache, but all of his features otherwise were exactly the same as when Rose had first met Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart. Rose smiled to herself, well according to his rank ensign he was still the Brigadier and he was lighter than when she had first met him. Her eyes went to the woman, a young Jo Jones, still Jo Grant, dressed in a very seventies green dress with a dark green jacket. She turned her attention to the final person but was always certain who he was. This Doctor has curly white hair, looked to be in his fifties and was wearing a cape outfit. He fit Jo’s description of the third Doctor perfectly and Rose couldn’t contain her smile.  
  
“Brigadier I am not wrong, there is something here,” the Doctor insisted, his smooth voice ringing with very familiar confidence.  
  
“We’ve searched the whole town Doctor,” Jo insisted, her voice much more youthful than the Jo that Rose knew.  
  
“This is something subtle,” the Doctor explained. “I was repairing part of the TARDIS and it reacted to something in this area.”  
  
“Could it be the Master?” the General, no the Brigadier, asked the Doctor.  
  
The Doctor frowned and glanced around; Rose ducked behind the curtain but strained to hear the answer. “I don’t believe so Brigadier,” the Doctor replied. “However have your men stay alert because if he finds the same energy spike that I did then he’ll come to investigate.”  
  
“Just wonderful,” the Brigadier huffed. “If you find anything else Doctor tell me immediately.”  
  
Rose heard footfalls that faded away quickly and then cautiously looked out the window. Jo was standing near the Doctor while he glanced around at the area. “Any ideas?” Jo asked the Doctor.  
  
“There is something here Jo with a strange energy signature, something that is out of place and time.” The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck for a moment. “And all residents have been evacuated?”  
  
“Yes Doctor,” Jo said. “And all insisted that there has been nothing strange lately.”  
  
Rose really hoped that the Doctor was referring to the chronosteel and not to her. He’d never mentioned anything like this before, but she supposed that a Time Lord might feel the power of the chronosteel trying to alter history. His presence here also answered her question about why the White Guardian didn’t want the Doctor taking this mission or helping her with it. The Doctor turned to Jo and motioned for her to follow him before they started walking towards the centre of the town. Rose bit her lip softly as she tried to think of what to do. He’d mentioned repairing the TARDIS so this was probably when he was still in exile which meant that he didn’t have the ship here. Hopefully, that would keep him from detecting the chronosteel in her pocket.  
  
Then she heard it, the distinctly familiar wheezing sound of the TARDIS very close to her. Rose turned as the wind picked up in the room, but gasped as it was not the familiar blue box that started materialising. Instead, it was a large machine of some kind, possibly an old computer. Rose jumped from her spot and rushed back into the hallway, ducking into one of the bedrooms. She kept the door open a small crack and peeked out into the living room as the TARDIS finished materialising.   
  
Rose forced herself to stay completely still as the door of the TARDIS opened and a strange man stepped out. He was an older gentleman with an air of importance about him. His hair was greying black and slicked back and his beard was neatly trimmed. It took Rose only a split second to realise that she was seeing one of the Doctor’s fellow Time Lords and his nemesis the Master. She swallowed back a sound of surprise and watched the Master who was dressed in a neat black suit. The Master pulled a small device from his pocket and held it flat in his hand. It beeped and whirled for a moment before the Master smiled. He turned towards the hallway leading to the bedrooms and Rose stepped away from the door. A faint light drew her attention down to the pocket where the chronosteel hammer and dagger were stashed. They were shimmering once again and Rose realised that the Master was detecting them and activating their power somehow. Spinning away from the door, Rose rushed to the window and pulled it open. She jumped outside and run away from the house, ducking behind a bush in the next garden over. Looking back carefully, she saw the Master leaning out the window and looking around with an irritated look on his face. He vanished from a window a moment later and Rose forced herself to take in a deep breath and think.  
  
She was in the 1970s, still not sure what year exactly, with two chronosteel pieces that together seemed to be capable of drawing attention and still had a piece to find if she was going to preserve Earth’s timeline. The Doctor was here, but he had no idea who she was and talking to him might be an even greater threat to the timeline. Rose glanced around quickly before she left the bush and headed down the street and slipped into a side road. Leaning against the wall, Rose slipped her hand into her pocket and touched the chronosteel objects gently.  
  
“Think Rose,” she muttered to herself. “What here could alter the Earth’s history?” There were several answers: the Doctor being killed with the chronosteel, regenerating early might alter history or maybe he wouldn’t be able to regenerate if killed with the chronosteel. Maybe a member of UNIT like the Brigadier, Jo or Benton was the target since they all had roles in keeping Earth safe in the years to come.   
  
Rose shook her head and straightened back up before she started heading towards the centre of town. Maybe the Brigadier could help her and would be willing to keep her a secret from the Doctor, but she couldn’t keep hiding around the edges of town. She’d only managed to get the first two pieces of chronosteel by getting into the thick of things. With the Master here maybe she could even convince the Doctor she was on his side without having to bring the White Guardian into it.   
  
She was almost to the main square when the temperature dropped around her. Rose shifted into a defensive stance and looked around carefully. A shudder went through her body like someone walking over her grave. Everything around her slowed for a moment as a being appeared in front of her. The being had a humanoid form and was a bit taller than herself, but its face was hidden by a low and wide black hood. The being wore a long black hooded robe and gloves, covering his entire body apart from his face. The only feature Rose could see was a mouth of sharp teeth that were almost like a shark’s. It reminded Rose of the ghost of Christmas Future from the Christmas Carol.   
  
“Rose Tyler,” the strange creature called in a strangely smooth voice that seemed to echo. “At last we meet.”  
  
“Who are you?” Rose questioned as she straightened up, but kept her body tense and ready to react.  
  
“Nobody. I am nothing,” the being replied.  
  
“Any chance you could be less cryptic?” Rose asked with a raised eyebrow. “I’ve got quite enough of that already in my life.”   
  
“It is difficult to make you understand,” the being said and Rose noticed that its image was shimmering around the edge like he wasn’t fully corporeal. “Ephemeral minds are so limited.” The being raised its hands to pull back its hood. Above its mouth, the face was featureless with only darker spots where its eyes should be and only a fleshy bump for a nose. “As you can see I have no self,” the being replied. “I exist only as a shade in your world Rose Tyler. Fueled by my purpose only.”  
  
“What do you want with me then shade?” Rose questioned.  
  
“I want you to stop playing the Guardians’ game,” the being replied calmly. “I want to set you free Rose Tyler. I want to undo what they did to change your life.”  
  
“And let me guess,” Rose quipped trying to hide her nervousness. “All it will cost is my soul.”  
  
The being chuckled and shook its head. “Nothing so dramatic Rose Tyler,” it replied. “My quarrel is with the Guardians and not you. By helping you I prevent them from reaching their endgame, at least for a time.”  
  
Rose swallowed and glanced over her shoulder. “I’m not interested,” she replied as she turned to walk away.  
  
“A normal childhood,” the being said behind her. “No manipulations from the Guardians that put Spellman in your path when you were so young. That is what I can give you.” The being smiled as Rose looked back at it curiously. “You will instead grow up a normal girl and meet the Doctor when you are nineteen. You will travel with him in the TARDIS and be happy just as you were always meant to be.” The shade shimmered as it floated towards her. “No Pied Piper, no Mona Lisa, no Apep, just a peaceful life without fear until you leave Earth with the Doctor.”  
  
“But if I’m not there-” Rose started to say.  
  
“I will turn the threats back,” the being promised. “Give me your agreement and I will have the power to turn back the alien threats from Earth.” The being moved closer to her and continued, “No families will suffer when the Pied Piper comes for their children, no one will die in the earthquakes caused by the Xylok, no cities will suffer damage and the Gorgon’s Circle will be quietly destroyed without any deaths.” The being added, “I’ll even see to it that Sarah Jane does meet the Doctor again and rescues Luke to form her family. You don’t owe the Guardians any loyalty,” the being hissed to her. “Give me your agreement and I will release you back into the life you were supposed to live in the first place. A normal girl until the age of nineteen and then a time traveller in the TARDIS, a heroine of the universe by the Doctor’s side.”  
  
Rose swallowed, frozen to the spot. She should have been able to say no right away, but the old doubts and fears were nagging at her. “You’re the Trickster aren’t you?” Rose asked the being. “The Guardian said that you seek to create chaos and would rip the universe apart if you had the chance.”  
  
“The Guardians see what they wish to see,” the Trickster replied. “Absolute power corrupts absolutely and they sit in absolute power over the universe.” The Trickster chuckled. “I need your agreement to impact your life Miss Tyler, but they have unleashed monster after monster upon you without any warning or question so which of us is truly acting with respect for Free Will?”  
  
Rose stepped away from the Trickster again and shook her head. “You’re twisting things, I can see that Trickster.”  
  
“I am offering you back the life that was taken from you Rose Tyler,” the Trickster countered. “The Guardians determined how to manipulate you because they studied you in other lives, in alternate realities to decide when and how to move their move. I am just undoing that abuse of power and setting you free. You will still have your precious Doctor, but will not have to worry about what the Guardians are going to do to you next time you see them.”  
  
Rose’s mind brought forth every memory she had of the Guardians: being watched by the Black Guardian and finding out that he put Spellman in her path, the White Guardian and the Shopkeeper using Sarah Jane to teach her a lesson and the Doctor’s distrust of the Guardians. At the same time, however, she also remembered a question that the White Guardian had asked her during that hard Christmas.  
  
“If you had the chance to undo our influence on your life would you?” he had asked her and Rose hadn’t been able to answer then. All she had known was that she didn’t want to lose the Doctor and the Trickster was promising her that.  
  
But she couldn’t help but think of another promise, one that she had made to the Doctor that Christmas Eve.  
  
“The White Guardian asked me if I would undo their influence if I could, but I didn't have an answer because I do like who I am and I like knowing you. You told me time can be rewritten, but I'm giving this to you so you understand that even with days like today I won't. In both of our futures, you'll give this to me and close the loop that it represents. Even after today I still fully intend for that to happen.”   
  
She had promised him that as she gave him the journal that his Eleventh self would give her. Even if she didn’t trust the Guardians completely was she really ready to give up her history with the Doctor even if it was promised that she’d still find her way to him.  
  
“No thanks,” Rose heard herself say even before she fully processed it. “Whatever else my life was ‘supposed’ to be this is my life now and I’ll stick with it.”  
  
The Trickster didn’t seem to react to her statement at first showing no facial movement at all. Then its mouth twisted into a strange little smile. “Very well Rose Tyler,” the Trickster replied. “We’ll see if you can save Earth’s history and your own.”  
  
The Trickster vanished and Rose took a small breath and started walking towards the square and UNIT vehicles once again. She was nearly there when a figure stepped out in front of her holding a weapon in his hand. Rose stopped suddenly and looked up into the face of the Master who was smirking as the device in his hand beeped again.  
  
“Greetings my dear,” the Master greeted pleasantly. “I believe you have something that I would very much like to take off your hands.”


	6. Mission in Time: Enemy of My Boyfriend

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Six: Mission in Time: Enemy of My Boyfriend  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
……………………  
  
“Greetings my dear,” the Master greeted her pleasantly. “I believe you have something that I would very much like to take off your hands.”  
  
The words that went through Rose’s head weren’t particularly articulate as she gaped at the weapon and the Time Lord before her. After the tense run-in with the Trickster, she didn’t feel prepared to face off against the Master that so many of her companion friends feared. Rose took a step back from the Master instinctively but kept herself from summoning her sword.  
  
“Who are you?” Rose asked letting her fear creep into her voice. Her eyes dropped from the Master’s face to the weapon that he held. Rose wondered if it was the weapon that killed and shrunk people that Tegan had told her about. “What do you want?”  
  
“You have something on you, my dear,” the Master replied with a cold courtesy. “Empty your pockets.” His eyes darted down to the bulging pocket of Rose’s coat where the hammer and dagger were shoved away. “Give it to me and no harm will come to you.”  
  
Rose took another step back as the Master studied her carefully. “Who are you?” Rose repeated.  
  
“I am the Master,” he answered even as he frowned slightly at you. “Who are you?” He demanded sharply.  
  
Rose jumped back at the sharp tone, but the Master’s eyes narrowed on her face. Rose had the horrible feeling that he was seeing something she couldn’t. “I’m just a local girl,” Rose said softly. “I was out on my bicycle when the evacuation happened. I’m just looking for a soldier to help me find my family.”  
  
“There is something different about you,” the Master insisted as he stepped forward, slipping the detector into his pocket. “I was just going to release you, but your timelines are unlike anything I have seen before and worth study. You will come with me.”   
  
The Master reached for Rose’s arm, but as he came into her personal space Rose lifted her knee sharply and rammed it straight into his crotch. Time Lord or not Rose knew from personal experience that they still had certain humanoid parts. The Master grunted in pain and stumbled back, dropping the weapon. Rose snatched up the weapon from the ground before shifting past the Master and running full speed towards the square. Just for good measure, Rose screamed so she’d attract attention as quickly as possible. She rushed into the square to find several soldiers moving towards her with their weapons drawn. Rose raised her hands and looked back over her shoulder.  
  
“Put the weapon on the ground,” a familiar voice commanded, “Slowly.”  
  
Rose’s eyes found a much younger John Benton standing with the soldiers and a sergeant insignia on his shoulder. Nodding, Rose carefully set the Master’s weapon on the ground before she said, “I was attacked by a strange man. When I hit him I was able to grab that.” Rose saw the soldiers tensing up and looking beyond her. “He called himself the Master.”  
  
That caused an instant reaction. Benton strode forth and carefully picked up the weapon and examined it for a moment. It looked a lot like a ray gun out of a science fiction movie, which given who the creator who was it could be. Benton turned to one of the soldiers and handed him the weapon.  
  
“Take this to the Doctor immediately,” Benton ordered. He looked at the other soldiers. “Alert the Brigadier that the Master is in the area and prepare patrols to find him.”  
  
Rose debated telling Benton where the Master’s TARDIS was but remembered that she wouldn’t know what that was. “Excuse me, sir,” Rose said softly to get Benton’s attention. “I saw him come out of a house a few streets down.” When Benton gave her an interested look, Rose quickly described the house that the Master’s TARDIS had landed in and what street it was on. Benton noted all of her words with brief nods and continued giving orders. It was all Rose could do to keep from smiling at the future Brigadier General.   
  
“What is going on here sir?” Rose questioned. “I came to surprise my family and found them gone.”  
  
“Your family?” Benton questioned.  
  
“I’ve been away at school,” Rose answered vaguely to duck the question. “And when I got here there were military vehicles and then that strange man showed up.” She widened her eyes and did her best to look innocent and scared, she knew Benton well enough to know about his soft touch.  
  
“Calm down Miss,” Benton said gently. “Come with me and I’ll take you to the centre of operations. Someone will evacuate you as soon as possible.”  
  
“Thank you,” Rose sighed gratefully as she allowed herself to be led towards the military vehicles that were circled like American West wagons in the town square. She let her eyes move through the scene taking in the soldiers, equipment and keeping a tentative eye out for the Doctor. The Master had verified that Time Lords saw something a little abnormal when looking at her time lines. At least they didn’t have Eve’s super time sense on a personal level.  
  
“Now Miss, can I please have your name,” Benton said with a small smile when they reached one of the command vehicles. Rose almost laughed at the sight of one of the soldiers speaking into a massive walky-talky with a high antenna.   
  
“I’m Marion Jones,” Rose told him quickly, figuring that there was at least one Jones family in the village.   
  
“Alright Miss Jones,” Benton confirmed with a nod. “Please wait here, my superior will have some questions for you and then you’ll be taken to join your family.”  
  
“Sir, why was everyone evacuated in the first place?” Rose questioned. “Is it because of that man?”  
  
“Perhaps,” was all Benton said before he motioned for her to sit down at the edge of the town square fountain, “Please stay here, I’ll be back in a moment.”   
  
Rose shifted nervously as Benton walked off to find the Brigadier. A nearby soldier gave her a small smile before turning his attention back to a radio of some kind. At least she didn’t seem to be raising alarm bells with anyone she knew yet. Judging from all the stories she’d heard in UNIT meeting random people was just part of the job so she probably didn’t have to worry about anyone remembering her in the future. Except for the Doctor and Master.  
  
Rose couldn’t stay still and stood up, peeking around a jeep and back towards the area where she had last seen the Master. Her hand dropped to her pocket and she brushed the edge of the hammer thoughtfully. How was she supposed to find the last piece of chronosteel while in UNIT custody? Rose tightened her grip on the chronosteel hammer in her pocket and turned in a circle trying to see if anything was out the place. The problem was that to her twentieth-first century experiences with UNIT everything here looked out of place.   
  
“Miss Jones,” a voice called nearby. Rose realised with a start that she was being called and turned quickly to see Benton standing across the square with the Brigadier and the Doctor. Swallowing, Rose arranged her hat in her pocket to help hide the metal weapons stashed. UNIT very rarely tried to search civilians in her time, but she wasn’t going to make it obvious. She walked across the square, already aware that the Doctor’s eyes had settled on her and that the Master’s weapon was in his hands.  
  
“Yes, sergeant?” Rose asked when she reached them.  
  
“Miss Jones I am Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart,” the much younger General greeted in his familiar stern tone. “Describe the man you saw.”  
  
Rose quickly gave them a description of the Master that had attacked her and she noted the Doctor nodding, but clearly distracted by something.   
  
“That settles it,” the Brigadier said with a sharp nod. “Benton alert HQ that the Master is in the area and have them send reinforcements. We’ll get him this time.”  
  
“Yes sir,” Benton agreed. “And Miss Jones?”  
  
“Miss Grant can stay with her while we organise a new perimeter.” The Brigadier turned to Rose, “I’m afraid that we can’t move you out until the area is fully secured, but I assure you that you will be quite safe.”   
  
Rose started to open her mouth to argue that she couldn’t stay with Jo Grant but realised that it would do no good and only lead to more questions. She would just make sure that she gave Jo no reason to remember her either. Following Benton, Rose noticed the Doctor give her one last long look and managed to give him a small smile. After a moment he returned the smile and gave her a small nod before turning back to the Brigadier. Rose would never admit that her heart gave a jump at getting a smile from another incarnation of her Doctor, not in a million years. Well, under the right circumstances she would.  
  
Jo Grant had apparently set up shop in a small pub just off the main square, but she instead had tea waiting instead of alcohol. Rose knew the UNIT boys well enough to know which one they’d honestly prefer, but she knew the regulations well enough. After the day she’d had, a cup of tea sounded absolutely perfect.   
  
“Miss Grant,” Benton greeted as Jo entered the main room from a storage room. “This is Miss Jones, she’s waiting to be moved out.”  
  
“Understood,” Jo answered with a familiar smile that Rose couldn’t help but feel happy at seeing. “Won’t you sit down dear,” Jo added looking at Rose. “And I’ll fix you some tea.”  
  
“Thank you, Miss Grant,” Rose replied pleasantly. “And thank you, sergeant.”  
  
Benton excused himself to rejoin the soldiers as Jo made Rose a cup of tea. “I’m Jo by the way,” she said as she handed the tea to Rose.  
  
“Marion,” Rose answered after reminding herself not to get too comfortable.   
  
“Well don’t worry Marion,” Jo assured her. “Everything is under control and we’ll have you back with your family in no time.”  
  
“Thank you,” Rose said as she took a sip of her tea. “That’s very reassuring.”  
  
“Oh, you needn’t worry why just-” Jo was interrupted by a burst of static on her radio.  
  
The small woman frowned and rushed over to the large radio. “Please repeat,” she called into the radio. “This is Jo Grant, please repeat.” There was only more static and Jo fiddled with the radio for a moment. “Oh bother,” Jo muttered. She glanced over at Rose. “Well, you be alright for a few minutes?”  
  
“Yes Miss Grant,” Rose assured her as she glanced around the room. In the corner of her eye, she saw movement at one of the windows.  
  
Jo hesitated for a moment but nodded. “I’ll be right back. I need to report this.”  
  
“I’ll be fine,” Rose promised.  
  
Jo darted out the door and Rose waited in silence for a few moments before she heard the door open once again. She forced herself to take in a deep breath as someone walked towards her. Rose looked up at the Master and took another sip of her tea, forcing herself to act calmer than she felt as her mind rushed to form a new plan. The Master stepped closer to her, still gripping the tracking device in one hand, but he had no weapon.  
  
“My dear,” he greeted in a coldly polite tone. “This is the last time that I shall ask you to give me the items you carry. Obey me or I shall become far less polite.”  
  
Rose felt a little braver than she would have normally in the presence of the Master since he was no longer armed and had suffered a rather embarrassing attack. She set down her teacup and leaned back in the chair.  
  
“Tell me Koschei you’re a Time Lord, a renegade, but a Time Lord none the less. Do you wish to see the Web of Time fall apart?” Rose questioned as she did her best to appear in control and unworried.   
  
Her words startled the Master who straightened up even more and tensed. His eyes examined her again and he tucked the tracking device into the pocket of his suit coat.  
  
“Now that I have your attention, let us discuss how pragmatic you’re prepared to be.” Rose offered as she gestured towards the chair that Jo had been sitting in. “The universe is under threat from two beings that were exiled from it millennia ago.”  
  
“And you’re here to stop them I suppose,” the Master said as he sat down. “What are you? You cannot be a human.”  
  
“Why would you assume that I’m not a human?” Rose questioned with a raised eyebrow as she poured a new cup of tea for the Master, aware of his eyes on her.  
  
“Humans do not know of the Web of Time,” the Master answered tightly. “And one certainly would not know that I once went by that name.” The Master all but growled the last part.  
  
“I was appointed to the task of retrieving three objects that were placed in Earth’s history to change time,” Rose informed him cautiously. “These objects have the power to alter the timelines and history of the point in time they are in. They even contain the power to alter fixed points in time.” She saw the Master flinch slightly in the corner of her eye. “I have two of the three which is why your little tracking device keeps leading you to me.”  
  
Rose pulled out the hammer and dagger to show them to the Master but quickly tucked them away again before he could reach for them. “The third is still out there and still has the potential to damage the Web of Time.”  
  
“You might have mentioned this earlier my dear,” the Master said as he added milk and sugar to his tea. It was his turn to seem calm and collected, but Rose didn’t like that one bit. “Before rudely attacking me.”  
  
“Forgive me,” Rose apologised with a teasing smile. “But I’d just been threatened by one of the beings responsible for this little problem and you had the nerve to point a weapon at me. Besides,” Rose glanced out the window. “At the time I was hoping to find the item and finish my mission quickly and quietly.”  
  
“Why have you not sought help from the Doctor?” the Master asked. “He is also a Time Lord and he is so protective of these pathetic humans.” The Master paused and added, “I ask again my dear what are you? Eternal?” The Master seemed a bit nervous now, “Guardian?”  
  
“Can you set your device to eliminate the items I currently have and track only the third?” Rose questioned, enjoying the Master’s queries.   
  
“Perhaps,” the Master answered as he set down his tea. “But why would I do such a thing?”  
  
“You are a Time Lord and time is under threat,” Rose said simply.  
  
“Ah but I am a renegade my dear,” the Master replied with a charming smile. “You are I’m sure aware of that.”  
  
“I am aware of that,” Rose agreed as she looked over at him. “I am aware that you are Koschei, you come from the planet Gallifrey and attended Prydon Academy in your youth to become a Time Lord. While at school you were part of a group of renegades known at the Deca including the young Doctor and another infamous renegade the Rani, then Ushas. Since your departure from Gallifrey, you have sought to become the Master of all Matter which is how you selected your new name. You have attempted to conquer many worlds and are now fixated on Earth as it is the location of your old friend the Doctor who was recently exiled by the Time Lords for interference in time and forced to regenerate into his present form.” Rose smirked, “How am I doing?”  
  
“That proves nothing,” the Master replied shortly.  
  
“Only that I know a great deal about you while you are not even certain what I am,” Rose pointed out, holding back a smile. “Perhaps it would be in your favour to simply give aid without string attached and have it be remembered by my … overseer.”  
  
The Master’s cool expression was twisted in displeasure, but Rose could see a genuine hint of worry in his eyes. Apparently being a renegade Time Lord was still enough to worry about the structure of time coming undone.   
  
“Very well,” the Master agreed as he withdrew the tracking device from his pocket. “I will need to make some adjustments to this first. What exactly are we looking for?”  
  
“It will be metal,” Rose explained. “Something simple I expect, but beyond that, there is no way to be certain.” She watched as the Master pressed a series of buttons and then held the device near here. It made a series of small beeps and the Master nodded.  
  
“That should cancel out the energy trace it is picking up from the items you hold.” The Master stood from his seat and held out a hand to Rose. “Shall we my dear?”  
  
Rose accepted his hand while forcing her features to remain blank. “Lead on,” she answered as he helped her to her feet. “Just mind the soldiers. I believe you’re their most wanted.”  
  
The Master looked like he wanted to snap at her for that remark, but his courteous manner silenced whatever he wanted to say. Rose dropped her hand to guard the pocket where the items were hidden away, but also to be ready to summon her sword when needed. She had no doubt that if the Master saw an opening to retrieve all three items he’d take it. Probably to get the energy they created or blackmail her ‘overseer’ for something he wanted.   
  
His history avoiding UNIT quickly became apparent as he easily led her through the village while ducking into the shadows to hide from patrols. Fifteen minutes after leaving the first pub they found themselves in front of another one. Unlike the main square pub that was clean, neat and friendly this one was much dirtier and much less inviting. Rose hadn’t thought that such a small village could have a seedy underbelly, but apparently, she’d found it.  
  
“Distasteful humans,” the Master muttered before he opened the door.   
  
He held it open for Rose to step inside first which surprised her more than a little, but this form of the Master seemed to operate on elegant manners and even more elegant plans to take over the universe.  She was starting to see why his strange rivalry and near friendship with the Doctor had survived so long and she wasn’t entirely sure she liked what it said about her significant other.   
  
“Thank you,” Rose told him.   
  
The pub was dark and empty with glasses and bottles still on the tables from the evacuation order. Judging from the marks on the floor UNIT had dragged out a few of the patrons.   
  
“We’re very close,” the Master informed her as he examined his device. “Something that would alter Earth’s history in here?” He gave her a doubtful look.  
  
“Maybe not today or tomorrow,” Rose pointed out as she walked further into the main room. “But it would have. Of course, you and the Doctor detecting the item and coming here to find it may have already altered that.”  
  
“How so my dear?” the Master questioned as he moved around a table.  
  
“Well there are no humans around anymore,” Rose answered with a shrug. “Because of Time Lords being on Earth so maybe the change has already been stopped. Who knows what it was going to be? Someone accidently being killed, someone making a different decision or someone meeting someone new, who knows? You’re aware of how delicate timelines can be.”  
  
The Master shook his head at her and moved behind the bar with his device still raised. “We’re too close for me to get a clear signal,” he admitted a moment later.  
  
“Then we search by hand,” Rose said as she began looking for the telltale shimmer of the chronosteel.  
  
“If we must,” the Master huffed before putting the tracking device back into his pocket.  
  
That was when Rose saw it in the corner of her eye, a flick of strange shimmering light. She turned to see a dartboard hung on the wall with a collection of darts stuck in it. Glancing over her shoulder at the Master who was still examining something at the bar, Rose moved over the dartboard and tried to determine which one of the little metal darts was the right one.  
  
“Find something?” The Master asked, his voice moving closer to her.   
  
“Maybe,” Rose replied as she tried not to tense up. She reached for the nearest dart and brushed her fingers over the metal, but nothing happened. She tried another one, but once again there was not reaction.  
  
“That’s enough,” the Master ordered sharply. “Turn around now.” Rose turned slowly and wasn’t surprised to see another ray gun like weapon in the Master’s hand. “That’s better,” he said smugly.  
  
“Had time to go back to your TARDIS I see,” Rose replied. “Did you move it before UNIT arrived?”  
  
“A few roads down,” the Master answered. “I’ll be long gone with all of the items long before they find it.”  
  
“Do you honestly think you’ll get away with this?” Rose questioned with a small smile.  
  
“My dear,” the Master breathed with a smile of his own. “I assure you that these remarkable artefacts will be in excellent hands and helping to shape the universe.”  
  
“Is that what they’re calling it now?” Rose asked with a tilt of her head. She raised her right hand to push a strand of loose hair behind her ear.  
  
“Keep your hands up,” the Master ordered. “And come over here.”  
  
Rose obeyed, keeping her hands high. The Master grabbed one of her hands and pulled her over to him. “Coat off,” he hissed.  
  
“Buy me a drink first,” Rose said flippantly.  
  
“My dear, do not try my patience,” the Master hissed looking right at her. “You will obey me.”  
  
Rose felt a push against her mind but forced the feeling away. “Alright alright,” She said as she shrugged out of her coat, grabbing the sonic pen from the pocket as she did so and set it on the table next to them with the chronosteel objects glinting in the light. Before the Master could see, Rose slipped the sonic pen into the pocket of her jeans.  
  
“That’s better,” the Master murmured. “Now which dart is it?”  
  
“I don’t know,” Rose replied honestly. “I can’t tell by sight. I have to touch the object to be sure.”  
  
The Master gave her a hard and disbelieving look while he kept his weapon pointed at her. Swallowing, Rose remained still while the Master moved towards the dartboard with his eyes moving between her and the darts. Finally, he reached the board and started to inspect the darts, trying his focus away from Rose. Keeping an eye on him, Rose reached into her pocket and pulled out the sonic pen. She lifted her hands up to her head again and pushed the button of the sonic pen with it pointed at the bar.  
  
Three glasses exploded on the shelf and Rose slipped the sonic pen into her hair. The Master spun and looked over at the bar in alarm, no longer pointing the weapon at Rose. Lunging forward, Rose summoned her sword and swung it upward. She stopped the blade against the Master’s neck, cutting into his skin only the smallest bit, but enough to draw blood and get his attention.  
  
“Drop the gun,” Rose ordered. “Quickly.”  
  
“Who are you?” the Master demanded as he eyes dropped to the sword in her hand.  
  
“Someone who will use this if she is not obeyed,” Rose smirked. “You will obey me. Drop the gun.”  
  
The alien weapon to the floor and the Master smirked slightly. “I congratulate you,” he chuckled. “You are a very surprising woman. Perhaps we should discuss a future partnership. My intelligence combined with your abilities would make for an interesting team.”  
  
“Don’t flatter yourself,” Rose retorted. “You’re not as intelligent as you like to think.” Rose shifted backwards just enough to grab her coat from the table. She didn’t bother trying to put it on but instead clutched it to her chest. “I’m going to move and if you value your current incarnation then you should too.”  
  
Rose shifted to the right, moving towards the dartboard and was pleased when the Master did not resist the movement of the blade. Contrary to what she said, Rose wasn’t interested in killing the Master. Even if she had killed in the past, she knew too much of his history to think it could be altered. Her back nearly collided with the wall with the dartboard right next to her. Rose didn’t take her eyes off the Master and blindly groped for the darts. Each time nothing happened she dropped it to the wooden floor.   
  
“And what are you going to do with me?” The Master questioned.  
  
“Nothing,” Rose answered. “Once I find what I’m looking for I’ll depart and you’re free to leave.”  
  
“Truly,” the Master questioned. “Just like that.”  
  
“Today’s not your day to die,” Rose muttered as she reached for another dart. “Even if it should be.”  
  
“You wound me, my dear,” the Master cooed. “But I give you my congratulations for the success of your mission.” The Master chuckled and added, “And the next time we meet I believe I will owe you some blood for that which you have drawn from me.”  
  
“I’ll doubt we’ll meet again,” Rose answered as her fingers finally found the right dart. “But it we ever do meet again, I’ll kick your arse.”  
  
She didn’t hear the Master’s reply as the time window reopened and the bright light surrounded her. Rose felt herself being swept away. She stumbled forward a moment later gasping for breath as her sword retracted to bracelet form. The dart was clutched tightly in her left hand and she tightened her grip further.   
  
“That’s it, Miss Tyler,” the familiar voice of the Shopkeeper said. “Deep breaths.”  
  
He moved forward and gently took Rose’s right elbow in his hands to help her to her feet. Rose swayed for a moment as she stood up, but the feeling soon passed. The grip on her elbow vanished and the Shopkeeper reappeared in front of her a moment later with a silver tray in his hands.  
  
“The items in you please,” the Shopkeeper urged.  
  
Rose’s vision had cleared enough that she could properly see the Shopkeeper and the White Guardian watching from his chair. She nodded and used her right hand to pull the hammer from her pocket and set it on the tray. The dagger followed a moment later with a soft clang. Then Rose looked down at the dart in her left hand.  
  
“I don’t get it,” Rose told the White Guardian as she looked over at him. “How does a dart change the world so much that it threatens the Web of Time. Would it have killed someone or something like that?” Rose glanced down at it, testing the weight. “Maybe the General or the Brigadier?”  
  
“Nothing like that Rose,” the White Guardian chuckled. “In the hands of a Time Lord with a TARDIS, the energy of the chronosteel could be very dangerous. Which is why the Master was looking for it.”  
  
Rose blinked and then her eyes widened as she understood what the White Guardian was really saying. “The change in history was going to be the Master getting this piece,” Rose realised. “The dart was then and there because the Master was spending so much time on Earth. It was a special delivery for him.”  
  
“Which would have given him the ability to completely alter the course of history,” the Shopkeeper laughed. “Indeed which is why your solution was so amusing. Using him to thwart the plan intended to give him power.”  
  
“I needed help finding the damn thing,” Rose muttered as she held it out to the Shopkeeper.  
  
The Shopkeeper merely smiled and took the dart from her, placing it on the tray with the hammer and the dagger.   
  
“You have my thanks, Rose Tyler,” the White Guardian said. “You performed a great service today and I recognise that it was difficult for you.” The White Guardian gave her a soft and surprisingly gentle look. “I wish you the best.”  
  
Rose shut her eyes against the bright flash of light that followed these words. When the light cleared and she reopened her eyes she was alone in an empty room with no trace of the shop and items that had filled the place only moments before.  
  
“You’re welcome,” Rose called as she slipped her hat back on. She turned on her heel towards the door and left the shop, pausing only to lock the door behind her.


	7. Mission in Time: Loose Ends

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Seven: Mission in Time: Loose Ends  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
………………….  
  
Rose’s apartment felt still and too quiet when she returned home. As tired as she was Rose knew that she wouldn’t be able to sleep just yet since technically it wasn’t even three o’clock. Time lag was definitely one of the less glamorous aspects of time travel. For a moment she stood in the middle of her living room at a loss of what to do with herself. Part of her knew that she needed to record her adventure in her diary, but she couldn’t bring herself to write about Jane just yet. Rose’s hand reached up to her TARDIS key and brushed the heavy Tudor necklace that was tucked underneath her shirt.   
  
Gently Rose pulled off the Tudor necklace and examined it. There could be no doubt that it belonged to a royal. The main sapphire was beautifully cut and mounted on an elegant golden setting. The chain that made up the rest of the necklace was more golden settings with mounted sapphires linked together. Remembering Jane’s words about the clasp, Rose sat down at her desk and carefully examined the necklace until she found a small clasp holding the front sapphire to the rest of the necklace. She retrieved a small set of pliers that she used for her work with computers and carefully pulled off the front sapphire.   
  
Rose held the main sapphire in her hand for a moment while she examined the chain she wore her TARDIS key on. With a frown, she set down the sapphire and walked to her bedroom. She dug out the small jewellery box that she hardly ever bothered with and found a long gold box chain. Rose returned to her desk and took off her TARDIS key necklace. It took her a moment to make up her mind before she took her old crystal pendant, the TARDIS king and the biodamper ring off of the shorter golden chain and set them on the desk. Taking the sapphire she used her pliers to carefully, but snuggly attach the sapphire to the new chain. Clasping it around her neck, Rose considered the weight of the sapphire that now rested right below her collar bone. Swallowing back a few tears Rose went to work putting the TARDIS key, ring and crystal pendant on the longer chain. When she slipped this one on, the items hung to the middle of her chest. Standing up, Rose went to the loo and looked in the mirror. The sapphire that Jane had worn shone gently around her neck.   
  
“Thank you, Jane,” Rose whispered before swallowing. “I’m so sorry.”  
  
Rose was sure she was going to cry when the familiar wheezing sound began to echo in her apartment. On trained reflex she rushed out to the main room and weighted down all the loose papers, catching the few strays that had already been blown away. She turned back to the TARDIS just as she finished materialising and waited. Her brown-eyed Doctor stepped out a moment later and looked over at her. His expression softened instantly and he moved towards her.  
  
“Rose,” he called gently before she nearly fell into his arms. “Oh Rose,” he sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”  
  
“You know?” Rose questioned.  
  
“You told me about it once,” he answered gently. “Then left me today’s date in a message.”  
  
Rose nodded absently making a mental note to add that to the apparent list of things she needed to have in place once the Doctor regenerated. He led her over to the sofa and they sat down together. The Doctor brushed some hair out of her face and kissed her lips gently.  
  
“Jane thought you were an angel,” the Doctor told her a moment later.  
  
“What?” Rose questioned in surprise.  
  
“In my first form I met Jane,” the Doctor explained. “Her execution was a fixed point in time so I couldn’t do anything, but I tried to comfort her and help her die with courage.” The Doctor shook his head dismissively. “Anyway one strange thing she said was that she had met an angel and could go to her fate bravely because she knew she didn’t die in vain.”  
  
Rose stared at him and shook her head a moment later. “I’m no angel,” Rose murmured.  
  
“Oh I don’t know,” the Doctor teased gently. “I’m certainly inclined to agree with her.” When Rose didn’t respond, the Doctor caught her chin and made her look at him. “Nothing could have changed her fate then Rose, nothing, but you gave her peace after she’d been abandoned by so many. True you couldn’t save her life, neither of us could because believe me even as my grouchy self-back then I wanted to, but you saved her spirit enough that she could die with her own self still intact.”  
  
Rose didn’t know how to respond so she just let the Doctor pull her against him and settled her head on his chest while he wrapped his arms around her. They were quiet for a moment before the Doctor shifted slightly and started talking again. “And George Woods was knighted for helping you stop the Nazis, although I’m certain that your discussion confused British Intelligence for a bit.”  
  
“He was knighted?” Rose questioned. “Really? As a boy?”  
  
“Yep,” the Doctor confirmed. “And he joined the army at age sixteen and fought in the Battle of Arden. Recently he was honoured by the queen for his work in radar development.” Rose smiled at that statement. “He’s a grandfather who lives with his daughter, a woman named Rose and his son-in-law. Apparently despite being long retired he tinkers with his grandkids’ electronics and toys.”  
  
“Rose huh,” she chuckled weakly. “I must have made an impression.”  
  
“I’m sure you did,” the Doctor remarked with a chuckle before he kissed the top of her head. “You usually do.”  
  
“I wonder if the Master would think that.”  
  
The Doctor laughed, “Oh I have no doubt that he remembered you for some time. Of course, it never came up with me since he didn’t know that we were acquainted.”   
  
“Is that what we are?” Rose asked in a teasing tone, “Acquainted?”  
  
“Something like that,” the Doctor answered as Rose titled her face up. He kissed her and pulled her onto his lap.  
  
“Wait,” Rose said pulling away. “What about the Trickster?”  
  
“He’s an extra-dimensional being who likes chaos,” the Doctor explained quickly before kissing Rose again.  
  
“You can do better than that,’ Rose scolded as she pushed him back, but she was smiling now.  
  
The Doctor smiled; glad to see her mood had improved. “Well alright,” he said. “Like I’m sure the White Guardian explained the Trickster was banished from the universe because he and his fellows in the Pantheon of Discord enjoyed chaos a little too much. Even the Black Guardian agreed that they were reckless and dangerous. The Trickster now works without the rest of the pantheon, in fact, I’m not even sure that the rest of them are around anymore. He can manifest himself for short periods of time and tries to make deals that will create chaos, usually by altering someone’s life in a very important way or finding a way to remove someone completely. I haven’t had many run-ins with him as he hates being Time Lords and TARDIS.”  
  
“Why?” Rose questioned as she glanced over at the TARDIS.  
  
“He has a weakness to Artron energy because of how he has to manifest himself here,” the Doctor explained. “He has no proper existence in this universe so Arton energy which is a vital part of the energy of time and space can actually hurt him.”  
  
“You said that I have Artron energy residue in me now,” Rose pointed out with a thoughtful frown. “So why would he want to see me.”  
  
“A little won’t hurt him,” the Doctor told her. “But the amount carried by a Time Lord, me or another throughout would be potentially deadly to him, not to mention what would happen if he came into contact with the TARDIS.”  
  
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Rose assured him. “I have a feeling he isn’t done with me yet.”  
  
“What did he offer you?” the Doctor asked quickly, trying to sound uninterested, but Rose knew better.  
  
“He offered to change my life so the Guardians weren’t in it,” Rose told him carefully, unsure how’d he react. “No Spellman attacking my friends when I was eleven.”  
  
“And no meeting me,” the Doctor added darkly.  
  
“Not exactly,” Rose replied with a grimace. “The Trickster promised that we would meet when I was nineteen and that I’d travel with you after that meeting.”  
  
 The Doctor looked thoughtful for a moment before he looked back at Rose. “And you weren’t tempted? Not even a little?”  
  
“Knowing that we’d still meet did tempt me a bit,” Rose admitted. “But- but I won’t be me,” she said softly. “Not really, I’d be different without all of the things I’ve been through.” Rose shrugged, “Who knows what I would have been without all my adventures teaching me that I was capable of great things. Maybe I would still be at the Powell estate and working in a shop.” Rose shrugged. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that, I just can’t imagine being happy like that.” Rose caught the look on the Doctor’s face and shook her head. “Anyway while he promised that we’d meet he never said anything about us being romantic.” Rose leaned up and kissed the Doctor soundly before adding, “I wouldn’t want to miss that.”  
  
“I suspect we’d have been together,” the Doctor promised with a small smile. “I can’t imagine resisting you for long.”  
  
Rose grinned at him and kissed him once more. “Well I’m glad to hear that Doctor, but your Ninth self is currently doing a really good job at it so I wouldn’t be too sure of that.”  
  
The Doctor kissed her again, pulling her up against him in a deep kiss that made Rose’s toes curl as she slipped her fingers through his hair. “So,” the Doctor asked when he released her lips, “You weren’t tempted?”  
  
“Last Christmas I made a promise to you, I meant it then and I mean it now,” Rose told him seriously. “I love you and I’m not trading us or giving up on us, not ever.”  
  
The Doctor grinned at her. “That’s my girl.” He kissed her nose with a silly smile. “I love you too Rose Tyler.”  
  
Grinning, Rose leaned against her boyfriend and kissed him again, thoughts of the Trickster, the Guardians and even Jane slipping from her mind.


	8. The World Killer: The Prison Ship

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Eight: The World Killer: The Prison Ship  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
………………….  
  
Rose tightened her coat around herself as she walked across the street from her home on Bannerman Road to the Smith-Chesterton house across the way. It was a chilly November day and Rose could imagine the water in the air freezing into ice, in fact, it may have been better if it did as at least it would have fallen to the ground and she wouldn’t have to feel like she was breathing in a frozen pond. Rose forced herself to focus as she reached Sarah Jane’s door and pulled out her key. Sarah Jane and Johnny were attending the reveal of a new computer system in Germany, Sarah Jane as a reporter and Johnny as a curious engineer who would no doubt translate a lot of technical information for his wife. Luke was staying with Clyde, but since she was in London Rose was planning to do a quick check on Mister Spock and K-9. Just to make sure that their systems were working properly.   
  
The lock clicked open and Rose stepped into the quiet house. It was so still in comparison to what she was used to. Sarah Jane’s once perfectly clean home had transformed dramatically in less than a year. Luke’s adoption had resulted in a sitting room being transformed with a television and game system where he and his friends would spend their time. Her marriage to Johnny had resulted in new photographs around the house, bookshelves being shared with his things, the feminine rugs and pillows of the living room being replaced with solid darker colours and other touches all over the place. Rose smiled to herself when she’d first met Sarah Jane the woman had been rather prickly and while she’d been happy with who she was the reporter hadn’t been really happy. A year later she was happily married with a son.   
  
“Mistress Rose?” the robotic voice of K-9 called from up the stairs. It didn’t surprise Rose in the least that the robot dog was in the attic with Spock. She just hoped they weren’t arguing about relative dimensions or which one of their systems was superior again.  
  
“Yes K-9,” Rose called back as she shrugged out of her coat and hung it by the door. “It’s me.”  
  
Rose climbed the stairs to the attic and couldn’t hold in a very unladylike snort at the sight before her. Spock was projecting a holographic chess set, but not a normal chess set. No, apparently the duelling computers had decided that Earth chess was too simple and were playing three-dimensional chess. Rose didn’t understand the rules and had no desire to, but she could guess that it was more complicated. There were a few more white pieces than black, but she thought that black might have the advantage based on the location of the white king relative to what looked like a black queen.   
  
“Having fun?” Rose questioned as she leaned against the doorframe of the attic.  
  
“Checkmate in four moves, Mistress Rose,” K-9 replied and despite his computerised voice Rose was sure she heard some smugness.  
  
“I have checkmate in three,” Spock announced also sounding smug.  
  
Seeing that another bout of snarking computers was about to start Rose stepped forward. “Sorry boys, but I have limited time to check Spock so this will have to wait. K-9 I want you to run a diagnostic.”  
  
“I have a matter to discuss with you Rose,” Spock announced. “Forty-five minutes ago-”  
  
“Rose!” A sudden voice called out from downstairs. Rose smiled recognising Luke’s voice. Turning back to the computers Rose ordered, “Play nicely you two, I’ll be right back.”   
  
Spock started to say something, but Rose spun back towards the door and hurried to the stairs. She nearly jumped down to the stairs and found Luke, Clyde and Rani waiting for her. Rose took in the three pre-teens quickly. Rani had grown a few more inches and was almost as tall as Luke and Clyde giving Rose the impression that she’d grow up to be a very tall girl. She was dressed practically in jeans, a jacket with her long dark hair tied back. Clyde’s hair had been cut even shorter as a buzzcut and he was dressed in his standard jeans and hoodie combination. Luke still stood a bit awkwardly, as if unsure what to do when he was just waiting. His hair was messy and in need of a trim, but his short shelved button up shirt was neatly pressed. He presented an odd picture overall, but he looked more comfortable than when Rose had last seen him and smiling widely at her.  
  
“Did you see it?” Rani questioned with a hint of excitement in her voice.  
  
“Nice to see you too,” Rose remarked stepping forward to hug Luke tightly. She released him after a moment and smiled at him. “You look good Luke,” she complimented.  
  
“Thank you very much,” Clyde said proudly with a grin. “I’ve been working on him.”  
  
“Now,” Rose asked, “Did I see what?”  
  
“A meteor,” Rani cheered with excitement. “Over London just now. It must have crashed down somewhere nearby. We came by to ask Spock about it,” she examined with excited eyes.  
  
“Please tell me it was something cool!” Clyde begged with just as much excitement.   
  
“A body entering the Earth’s atmosphere generates temperatures in excess 1600 degrees centigrade, no way was it something cool,” Luke supplied, but he was smiling mischievously.   
  
The dark skinned boy looked torn between laughing and rolling his eyes. “Still got a long way to go with that humour thing my young padawan.”   
  
“So you saw a meteor?” Rose questioned her mind quickly becoming alert. “Just now?”  
  
“Yeah, it blew just overhead,” Clyde confirmed. “We came straight over to your place to tell you, but your Mum said you were over here,” Clyde lifted his fingers to make quotes, “Watering the plants.”  
  
“My Mum was a bit offended,” Rani added, “What with owning a flower shop.”  
  
“So I should have said I was coming over to check on a supercomputer with extraterrestrial origins and a robotic dog produced almost three thousand years in the future,” Rose huffed. “Come on, Spock said something earlier, maybe about that meteor or whatever it was.”  
  
They went back upstairs quickly to find that Spock had ended the holographic chess match simulation and his screen was split between two images: one of the solar system and the other a map of a nearby part of London.   
  
“I take if you have found out about the extraterrestrial body that entered the Earth’s atmosphere,” Spock said. “As I was trying to say I have been tracking the object since it entered solar space forty-five minutes ago.”  
  
“It crossed the Solar System in forty-five minutes?” Rose gasped. “Then we’re taking about a ship and not a meteor.”  
  
“Indeed Mistress Rose,” K-9 confirmed. “We detected ionic propulsion fusion engines have left a distinct trail from the Ort cloud to planet Earth. The ship’s trajectory was very stable, but engines failed once the ship entered the inner solar system.”   
  
“Ionic propulsion fusion,” Clyde exclaimed with a grin, “Now that sounds cool!”  
  
“Why didn’t you mention this when I first came in?” Rose asked Spock with a slight frown.  
  
“We were trying to finish our chess match first,” Spock replied calmly either unaware of Rose’s anger or uncaring. “Nothing indicated an immediate threat to the Earth or the human species.”   
  
“Fine,” Rose huffed with a wave of her hand. “Do either of you have anything specific on the object? Planet of origin, reason for being so close to the solar system or reason for engine failure?”  
  
“I intercepted the following the following distress signal,” Spock offered before filling the screen with a recording.  
  
A large rhino-like creature with the same horn and head shape as the Earth creature was sitting in a pilot chair surrounded by controls with sparks flying all around him. Unlike the Earth creature, the being wore a heavy looking grey suit of armour. With her translator off, all Rose heard was strange rhythmic noises. She quickly pulled the translator from her pocket and put it on. The words instantly took on meaning as the creature called back to the Shadow Proclamation reporting a strange computer failure that had caused overheating in the engines and massive failures.   
  
“Judoon,” Rose said softly in realisation, putting the pieces together at the mention of the Shadow Proclamation that the Doctor had told her about.   
  
“Oh boy!” Rani laughed behind Rose. “A talking rhino.”  
  
“He’s a Judoon,” Rose explained as she crossed her arms and frowned with worry. “His species work for the Shadow Proclamation. They are sort of like policemen, they enforce the Shadow Proclamation’s code across much of the universe.”  
  
“So they’re the good guys,” Luke said from behind Rose, but it sounded a bit like a question too.   
  
“Sometimes,” Rose offered with a nervous shrug, “But according to the Doctor their methods can result in a lot of collateral damage. They don’t see shades of grey, but operate on a very strict view of black and white, lawful or not which has caused the Doctor plenty of problems in the past.”  
  
“The Doctor has told you about them?” Luke asked curiously.  
  
“He knows that this sort of thing is my job,” Rose supplied. “Unlike your Mum, I am paid to do this and he likes me to be prepared. I have an English copy of all the current articles of the Shadow Proclamation,” she explained with a shudder. “Really boring in some places and really terrifying in others.” Rose shook her head and added, “But Earth is a level five planet according to the Shadow Proclamation so I don’t know how a Judoon will cope on a world that he has no authority to uphold law. The Doctor says they aren’t very smart so this could get ugly.”  
  
“Affirmative Mistress Rose,” K-9 agreed. “Extreme caution is necessary.”  
  
“Spock where is the ship?” Rose questioned.  
  
Spock enlarged the half of his screen holding the map. “UNIT has isolated the spacecraft here,” Spock supplied creating a bright red dot on the map.  
  
“Well then I’ll just have to hope they call me in,” Rose muttered biting her lip nervously. “I really don’t like the combination of UNIT and a Judoon. UNIT is likely to take the Judoon as a threat and the Judoon is likely to take UNIT as a threat.”  
  
“Damn,” Clyde groaned. “I really wanted another go at this meeting aliens thing.”  
  
“You and me both,” Rani added with a frown. “It was fun meeting that alien at Sarah Jane’s wedding.”  
  
“I’m sure you’ll have more chances if you stay around the Chesterton-Smiths,” Rose assured them as she pulled out her mobile. ‘And hopefully some less dangerous than this is likely to be.”  
  
“But UNIT seems unaware of the life pod that was ejected before impact,” Spock finished, a smug tone appearing in his voice again.  
  
“Life pod?” Rose questioned turning back to the screen quickly. “Outside the restricted area?”  
  
“My calculations suggest that it fell some ten miles outside the UNIT isolation zone in the abandoned Brely-Chase Council Estate.”  
  
“Yes,” Clyde cheered as he pumped his fist.   
  
“You’re not going,” Rose said sternly as she slipped her mobile back into her pocket.  
  
“What?” Clyde, Rani and Luke demanded at the same time, at least two of their voices taking on an angry and desperate tone.   
  
“You three are going home or in Luke’s case back to Clyde’s,” Rose ordered calmly as she pulled a hair tie from her pocket and twisted her hair into a ponytail. Then she slipped the sonic pen back into the tie to keep it convenient.   
  
“But that’s not fair,” Rani argued as she stepped forward. “We want to see this Judoon and we can help you!”  
  
“Who here wants to see the alien?” Rose questioned as she raised her own hand and three others shot into the air. “Who here is over eighteen?” The three other hands dropped and the teenagers glowered at her.  
  
“Hypocrite,” Clyde muttered while fixing Rose with a sharp look.  
  
“When I dealt with aliens before I was an adult I had no choice Clyde,” Rose told them softly. “This Judoon may be hurt, confused and it is definitely armed. I won’t take responsibility for your safety.”  
  
“I shall accompany you, Mistress Rose,” K-9 announced rolling forward.  
  
Rose knelt with a smile and patted the robot’s head. “Thank you K-9, but no. The Judoon know Earth to be a level five planet and you are not level five technology. I can hide the sonic pen, but you’re a bit harder. Stay with Spock and monitor UNIT’s communications and any other information you can find. I’ll keep my mobile handy and stay in touch.”  
  
“Understood Mistress Rose,” K-9 replied. “I shall remain on alert should you require my assistance.”  
  
“Be careful Rose,” Spock added.  
  
The three teenagers grumbled, but all wished her luck as Rose turned to the attic door. To her great relief, none of them followed her down the stairs arguing with her. She snatched her coat from the foyer and rushed across the street to her waiting SUV. Rose glanced back towards the house, grateful to see none of the teens following her before she sped off towards the life pod crash site.  
  
………………………  
  
The Brely-Chase Council Estate was a collection of blocky building assembled in a way that probably considered artistic in the seventies. Grime streaked the sides of the once bright buildings and Rose paused as she looked up at the building. She had found herself thinking of the Powell Estate more and more lately even if she and her mother had left it behind. At this moment she almost felt homesick for the brick buildings that had been her home as a child. Rose shook off the feeling and walked into the Council grounds, unlocking the gate to the fenced off estate with the sonic screwdriver.  
  
She didn’t have to go far to find the crash site, well the first sign of it. One side of the largest building had a smouldering hole blown through it. Rose felt great relief that this council estate was close and abandoned as she knew firsthand just how crowded a building like this could be. Listening for any noises, Rose scanned the area carefully. There was a tension in the air and she felt her body tense in response. It probably wouldn’t take UNIT to determine that they had a ship with no pilot and come looking. At the moment Rose’s best plan was to find the Judoon, calm it down and help get it get transport from Earth. Hopefully, she wouldn’t do anything to endanger Earth’s level five status just yet. Her planet wasn’t ready for level six status and the headaches that came with it.   
  
Then there was a sudden crash and Rose darted to the side of one of the buildings. She glanced around quickly but didn’t see anything for a moment. There were blasts of energy from some kind of energy weapon that hit the building far ahead of her. Rose jumped back and ducked into the doorway of the building, peeking out around the corner of the entryway. The Judoon lumbered towards her with his weapon drawn and firing. Rose flinched back on instinct before another round of shots hit the building far ahead once more. She peeked out in time to a much lighter humanoid figure with chains hanging from its arms dashing between this building and the next one and the Judoon firing after it.   
  
“Bloody hell,” Rose hissed as the Judoon marched after the figure. “Oh no,” she groaned softly as she pulled out her mobile. “This is bad,” she said to herself as she dialled the phone. “This is really bad.”   
  
“Yes, Rose?” Spock’s voice answered. “Have you made contact with the Judoon?”  
  
“Spock, did that distress call to the Shadow Proclamation get through?” Rose questioned urgently. In the background she could hear the others talking in low voices, apparently, her instructions to return home had been ignored.  
  
“It is possible Rose,” Spock said, “But I am unable to determine that for certain.”  
  
“Resend the message,” Rose instructed. “And make it as urgent as you can.”  
  
“Has the Judoon turned hostile?” Spock questioned.  
  
“No, but he wasn’t alone,” Rose cried.  
  
“A prisoner!” Luke exclaimed for the background. “Right Rose?”  
  
“I’m afraid so,” Rose agreed. “The Judoon is going to do everything it can to recapture its prisoners and if humans get in the way…” Rose trailed off. “Just resend the message Spock and I’ll try to get the Judoon to work with me to capture that prisoner.”  
  
“Shall I contact UNIT?” Spock questioned.  
  
“No, wait for now until I have a better idea of what we are dealing with,” Rose ordered. “With any luck, this is a minor criminal.”  
  
“And when are you ever lucky?” Rani questioned, but Rose decided to ignore it and ended the call. She took a breath and then rushed off to follow the Judoon.   
  
She turned a corner quickly into an old garden area tucked back behind the estate and led down towards the roadway. Rose quickened her pace as she heard and heavy thud ahead of her. “What’s going on?” She called out to warn the Judoon that she was coming and hopefully keep him from thinking she was attacking.   
  
Rose turned another corner to get around a wall and stopped in her tracks. The Judoon was lying on the ground with some greenish yellow blood seeping from a wound on his head. Next to him holding a heavy old pipe was a humanoid figure in black clothing with chains discarded at its side. His dark hair was long and matted, but Rose knew him the moment he swung his dark eyes to her.  
  
On reflex, Rose summoned her sword and shifted into a defensive position with it positioned in front of her. The humanoid figure was staring at her with the same stunned shock and then his expression turned excited and devious.   
  
“Rose Tyler,” he greeted in his slick voice.  
  
“Thane,” Rose hissed.   
  
“The stars have a sense of humour,” Thane giggled with his horrible smile growing wider. “For me to meet you so soon, it is more than I hoped.”  
  
He was about to say more when the Judoon suddenly groaned and began to shift. Thane glanced down at it and Rose used the chance to leap forward, swinging her sword at the World Killer. He dodged out of her way at the last moment and the sword collided with the short brick wall of the garden. Thane hissed at her before spinning and rushing away. Rose tore her sword from the wall and moved to follow Thane when the Judoon lashed out sideways, knocking her to the ground. Rose grunted as she hit the dirt and her sword returned to bracelet form. The Judoon swayed on his feet and Rose slipped her hand up to grab her translator from her ear and shoved it into her pocket. She looked up at the Judoon and saw his weapon pointing down at her.   
  
“I don’t mean you any harm,” Rose said as she slowly stood. “I was trying to stop that man who attacked you.”  
  
The Judoon pulled out a small red stick-like device and shoved it towards her mouth. Guessing his intent she started to speak into the Judoon language assimilator that the Doctor had mentioned. “My name is Rose Tyler,” she said clearly. “I mean you no harm so long as you don’t harm me. I assisted in the capture of Thane from Earth the last time he was here and want to see him recaptured as quickly as possible.”  
  
The Judoon pulled the device away from her and inserted it into a round hole in his armour that was lined with a red hoop of the same color.   
  
“Language assimilated,” the Judoon announced a moment later. “Earth English.” Rose sighed in relief, at least her translator wouldn’t cause any awkward questions. The Judoon lifted the red device towards her again, but this time used the other end. A blue light shown from it. “You will be catalogued,” the Judoon ordered. The device made a few small beeps and Rose forced herself to stay still when she really wanted to chase Thane. “Species human.”  
  
“Great,” Rose snapped. “Can we focus on your escaped prisoner now?”   
  
The Judoon started to move to follow Thane but nearly fell a moment later. Rose caught its arm and helped the heavy creature a few feet to the wall.   
  
“I Tybo Captain of 1005th Judoon Guard.”  
  
“Pleased to meet you, Captain,” Rose greeted impatiently. “But I want to know if you have a plan to capture Thane.”  
  
“I do not answer to humans,” Tybo hissed.  
  
“You crashed on my planet and allowed a being that rips worlds apart for fun loose upon it,” Rose snapped. She glared at the Judoon commander and hissed, “You mean to tell me that Thane is back on my planet? The World Killer is back on Earth?! And you’re not going to answer to my species for it!” Rose forced herself to breathe. “This is fully established level five planet and you are an officer of the Shadow Proclamation, you have no authority on this planet unless it is given to you in an emergency by the local population.” The Judoon looked surprised and Rose felt a tiny bit better. “I will assist you in recapturing Thane,” she said solemnly, “But your authority on this world comes from me and you’d better remember that.”  
  
The Judoon huffed and said nothing in response. Rose gave Captain Tydo a firm look before pulling out her mobile. Hitting Malcolm’s speed dial button, Rose raised the phone to her ear while keeping an eye on the Judoon who was watching her.  
  
“Rose I’m a bit busy at the moment,” Malcolm’s cheerful voice announced, but he sounded a bit grim. “Any chance you’re in London?”  
  
“Yes,” Rose chuckled tiredly. “Malcolm tell the Brigadier that we’ve got a huge problem. The ship that crashed was a Judoon prison ship and the prisoner is Thane.” There was a pause and a sharp intact of breath. “Do you understand?” Rose pressed. “The World Killer is back on Earth. I’m with the Judoon Captain and I’ll work with him to find Thane, but stay alert and I’ll contact you when I’ve got more.”  
  
“Rose-” Malcolm started to say something, but Rose hung up and shoved the phone back into her pocket.  
  
“Well Captain Tybo,” Rose asked. “Shall we go and find Thane?”


	9. The World Killer: Computer Virus

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Nine: The World Killer: Computer Virus   
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
…………………………….  
  
Thane buttoned the cuffs of blue button down shirt he had stolen as his eyes glinted with mischief. He’d managed to slip into a flat and locate clothing that fit him and clean up. No longer did he look like an escaped prisoner. Instead, he was dressed in slacks, his hair was cut to his neck and combed and he had a small satisfied smile on his face. Walking back into the living room of the apartment, Thane spared a glance down at the corpse lying in the middle of the room. It was a man in his late twenties who hadn’t stood a chance when Thane had entered his home through the open window via the fire escape. Stepping over the corpse Thane returned to the man’s computer which was sitting on a desk at the far side of the room.  
  
The screen was black with code rushing down it in a sequence too fast to understand. However, Thane smiled at the sight and nodded to himself. He picked up a scratched up mobile phone from next to the computer and caressed the casing gently before slipping it into the pocket of the slacks he now wore. Turning away from the computer Thane went to the entry way of the apartment and studied himself in a mirror. He frowned at his reflection and returned to the living room. Bending over the corpse Thane unlatched his victims watch and slipped it onto his own wrist. Then he grabbed the suit jacket hanging over the computer chair and pulled it on. This time he smiled at his reflection and plucked a set of keys from the entry table. Glancing back over his shoulder at the corpse, Thane smiled and said, “Don’t wait up.”  
  
Closing the door behind him with the lock clicking into place, Thane twirled the keys on his finger as he walked down the hall and towards the parking garage. His smile widened until he began to whistle a sharp little tune. When a young woman peeked out of her apartment Thane beamed at her and chuckled when she blushed. Once he reached the parking garage, Thane used the bob on the keychain to locate his victim's car. He was still whistling when he started the car up and tore out of the parking garage and into Greater London.  
  
………………………………..  
  
Thane had been on Earth for almost forty minutes and Rose had the sinking feeling that the Judoon Captain didn’t really know how to find Thane. He’d spent more than fifteen minutes making adjustments to the odd device that he’d used to catalogue her and assimilate English before he’d stomped off. The Judoon moved remarkably quickly for such a large and awkward creature. Rose was just able to keep up with the rapid march that Captain Tybo set as he followed some kind of signal with his hand held device. Rose figured he was tracking Thane as a nonhuman and briefly wondered if she and Tosh could create something like that. It occurred to her that it would probably always be going off. Rose was certain that Earth was covered with aliens, most of them living quiet and peaceful lives or busy being pop stars.  
  
 “Captain,” Rose finally questioned as the Judoon led her into a back alley near the council flats. However, Tybo’s sensor was leading them towards Greater London. “Why did your ship crash?”  
  
“Not important,” Tybo answered sharply.  
  
Rushing forward, Rose placed herself in front of the Judoon. “Why did the ship crash?” she repeated. “Could it have been caused by Thane?”  
  
“Impossible,” Tybo huffed as he lumbered forward.  
  
Rose took a few quick steps back. “Why is it impossible?”  
  
“Thane was chained.”  
  
Rose blinked at Tybo while forcing a scream of anger back. “That doesn’t make it impossible,” Rose pointed out. “In fact, I can completely see Thane making sure that the systems failed someplace that made Earth your only possible emergency landing point. This is the alien that created nanobots with a telepathic interface.” Rose shook her head. “I don’t like coincidences like this.”  
  
“Irrelevant,” Tybo said in his irritatingly monotone voice.   
  
“You’ve been trying to get a trace for nearly an hour,” Rose hissed. “What is the hold up?”  
  
“Thane is similar to humans, unable to isolate trace at this time.”  
  
“Well we need a plan,” Rose argued. “Something better than walking around in a huge circle by your crashed ship.”  
  
“Locate Thane,” Tybo replied.  
  
“Beyond that,” Rose insisted impatiently. “Thane looks human so he can blend in while you cannot.” Rose paused and considered her options. “We should team up with the local forces. UNIT knows about aliens, maybe-”  
  
“Thane is Judoon prisoner,” Tybo announced sharply with more emotion than Rose had heard from him before. “Humans not capable of capturing World Killer.”  
  
Rose glared at the Judoon’s back as he lumbered forward. “And how do you propose to capture Thane without causing a panic that allows him to escape.”  
  
“Thane will not escape,” Tybo said shortly.  
  
Tybo was probably saved from getting another blow to the head and this time not from Thane by Rose’s phone ringing. “Hello?” Rose asked as she opened her mobile.  
  
“Rose!” Malcolm’s voice called. “We’ve got a problem.”  
  
“I know,” Rose said as she glanced ahead at Tybo. “This Judoon is stomping around in circles. I don’t think he has any idea where to find Thane.”  
  
“It’s worse than that,” Malcolm told her. “We’ve detected some kind of super virus being spread from within London.”  
  
“Super virus?” Rose questioned. “You think its Thane?”  
  
“We’ve never seen anything like this Rose,” Malcolm admitted in a tense voice. “UNIT’s systems have started to back up. Everything that can be taken off the system in British Government has been already.”  
  
“What is this virus doing?” Rose questioned.  
  
“We aren’t sure yet,” Malcolm replied uneasily. “Nothing has been activated yet, but it is worming through the coding of security and command programs and changing the codes. I’ve got Tosh a few others trying to work on the code but it is still being rewritten.”  
  
“That sounds like Thane,” Rose admitted with a queasy feeling. “How many people know about this?”  
  
“I only out found out ten minutes ago,” Malcolm answered with a sigh. “Alerts have been sent out to other world governments. This thing is moving fast.” Malcolm’s voice quieted slightly. “Rose I know you’ve got that Xylok stashed somewhere and I need its help on this.”  
  
“Malcolm what about Thane?” Rose pressed.  
  
“Benton has soldiers out doing checks,” Malcolm told her. “But in face of this level of security threat, we haven’t got the resources to try and find him.” Malcolm sighed, “Rose at the rate it's accelerating whatever this thing is will overwrite all the security and command systems in the UK within an hour.” There were noises and shouting in the background that Rose couldn’t make out. “Bugger!” Malcolm hissed. “I have to go, the US, Australia, Germany and India are all reporting that the virus is in their systems.”  
  
…………………………..  
  
Rani was staring at Spock’s screen and tapping her foot impatiently. Behind her, Clyde was pacing and muttering under his breath. Luke was watching Spock’s screen intently while code streamed across it in small window. On the other half of the screen maps of London and another sequence of code was flashing.  
  
“Luke,” Spock suddenly said causing the boy to jump to his feet. “I have located the source of the virus and I believe that it was done by Thane.”  
  
“I told you,” Clyde called. “Two odd things in one day have to be connected.”  
  
“I’ll call Rose,” Luke announced as he pulled out his phone. It rang in his hand before he could answer her. “That’s Rose now,” Luke told the others. “Rose, Spock says that Thane released a virus into London.”  
  
“I know,” Rose answered. “Captain Tybo and I haven’t had any luck finding Thane and UNIT just called me about the virus. What do you have?”  
  
Spock now spoke up as Luke put Rose on speakerphone. “I haven’t been able to isolate the entire virus as it is still taking hold, but I was able to identify something I believe that you’ll find interesting Rose.”  
  
“What’s that Spock?” Rose asked.  
  
“The basis of this virus is the Bad Wolf Bug that you used to stop Thane’s nanobots.”  
  
There was silence on the other end of the line. Then Rose finally said, “I see Spock.” Her voice sounded worried and distant. “So he did plan this and is moving quickly. According to Malcolm the virus is spreading around the world and rewriting practically whatever code it touches.”  
  
“I have located the source of the virus,” Spock informed her. “You may find a trail to lead you to Thane there.”  
  
“What?” Rose asked in surprise. “Tell me, hurry.”  
  
Spock told her the location and Rose quickly promised, “I’ll call you back as soon as I can. In the meantime, Spock, do whatever you can to slow down this virus.”  
  
Luke closed the phone and sighed as he looked up at Spock. “Any suggestions Mister Spock.”  
  
“One Luke,” the Xylok replied, “But I shall need your help for this. I have a copy of the Bad Wolf virus that Rose has been creating from the Bad Wolf Bug and the Armageddon Virus. With some recoding, I believe it could be used against Thane’s program.”  
  
“Right then,” Clyde agreed with a nod. “Luke you’d better stay here.”  
  
“Yeah,” Rani said as she grabbed her coat. “You and Spock work things from here.”  
  
“What?” Luke turned to them. “Where are you going?”  
  
“Well I don’t know computer well enough to help on this end,” Clyde said. “And it sounds like Rose has a bit more on her plate than she was expecting.”  
  
Luke opened his mouth to argue, but Rani and Clyde both dashed out of the attic. He heard the front door slam a moment later.  
  
“Good luck,” Luke called softly before he turned back to Spock. “What can we do?”  
  
“I hate to admit it, but it would be best for the dog and I to link up,” Spock announced with a hint of distaste.  
  
“Indeed Master Luke,” K-9 agreed rolling up next to the preteen. “We shall defend each other from the virus.”  
  
“You two working together,” Luke said to himself as K-9 approached Spock. “Now I know it’s serious.”  
  
………………………………..  
  
Rose took a breath and then approached the Judoon. “Captain Tybo,” she called. “One of my contacts has a possible location on Thane.”  
  
“Location?” Tybo said as he turned to Rose sharply.  
  
“Yeah somewhere that he was,” Rose confirmed with a nod. “He’s unleashed some kind of virus into Earth’s systems that is messing with everything. It hasn’t activated yet, but it probably will some.”  
  
“I require current location not past,” Tybo said.  
  
“But there may be a clue,” Rose argued.  
  
“Clue?”  
  
Rose stared at the Judoon in shock and horror. Finally, she managed to say, “Please tell me that you are joking. What do they teach you in space police school?”  
  
Captain Tybo growled at Rose as he pulled his weapon from its holster. “All I need,” he said gruffly.  
  
“Well this is a big planet,’ Rose countered. “And knowing Thane’s sense of dramatics he probably wants to be found so checking the place he released the virus is our best option.” Rose glanced around to get her bearings. “We need to get back to my car,” she said.  
  
“Transportation,” Tybo agreed, but instead of following Rose he turned and moved down a side street towards the sound of cars.  
  
“No,” Rose hissed as she rushed after the Judoon. She clenched her teeth when a police car pulled into the side street. “Get out of sight!”  
  
But it was too late; the two policemen in the car were staring at the Judoon with stunned looks on their faces. Rose wondered if they’d believe he was a mascot on his way to a game. However, Tybo chose that moment to pull his gun again and point it at the vehicle.   
  
“That’s the police,” Rose called as she rushed up to Tybo.   
  
“Then they will cooperate,” Tybo said firmly. As the policemen slowly climbed out of the car Tybo stepped up the driver’s side. “Commandeering your vehicle.” The police man’s face was white as his eyes moved from Rose to Tybo.  
  
“That’s an order,” Tybo snapped.  
  
“Watch it,” Rose hissed. “You have no authority to give orders on Earth.” She turned to the policeman. “This is very important,” Rose offered nervously with a smile. “I’m really sorry about this.”  
  
“Requisition slip,” the Judoon said to the policeman as he held out a milky piece of thin plastic with strange letters on it. The officer took it with a look of confusion.  
  
“Just go,” Rose begged. “UNIT will contact you later,” she added.  
  
The officer nodded and backed away from the Judoon and the car to join his fellow officer down the street. “Cooperation appreciated,” Tybo said to the retreating figures.  
  
Rose raised an eyebrow and shook her head. “That slip you gave him is useless here you know,” she reminded him. Tybo looked at her and Rose smirked. “No contact with the Shadow Proclamation remember.”  
  
When Tybo moved towards the driver’s seat Rose gripped his large arm to draw his attention. “I’ll drive,” she said firmly.  
  
“I am trained to pilot all methods of apprehension,” Tybo informed Rose seriously.  
  
“But on Earth, the law requires that a driver has passed a local driving examination and have a license,” Rose informed him. She pulled out her wallet and presented her license to Tybo. The Judoon examined the license and Rose’s face making a low humming sound.  
  
“Very well,” Tybo agreed before he moved over to the passenger seat.   
  
Sighing in relief, Rose climbed into the vehicle and restarted the engine. Just to be on the safe side given that her passenger was a Judoon she fastened her seat belt. Beside her, Tybo sat awkwardly in the seat and his tracking device made an odd chirping noise.  
  
“What’s that?” Rose questioned.  
  
“Judoon recovery mission has entered solar space,” Tybo informed her.  
  
She cursed herself for having Spock send out Tybo’s message, it would take the Judoon only 45 minutes to reach Earth. With Thane up to something on Earth this was no longer a simple capture mission, but she’d learned enough about the Judoon to know that as far as they were concerned what Thane had done to the planet didn’t matter. Rose took another breath before steering the car out into traffic and heading for the location of the virus origin.   
  
The Bevert-Collins building was a modern and newer block building, but Rose didn’t have much time for that. She pulled the car around into the alley hoping to avoid Tybo catching any attention. During the drive over, he’d rolled down the window and ordered one driver to turn down his music despite Rose’s protests.   
  
“Where is Thane?” Tybo demanded as Rose turned off the engine and removed the keys to the vehicle.   
  
“I’m not sure,” Rose answered. “Clues remember.” Tybo climbed out of the car and looked up at the fire escape that Rose had parked by. “It’s the fifth floor,” Rose announced as she gripped the ladder and pulled it down. It was already lower than it should have been which made her sure that Thane had entered the same way.  
  
Tybo followed Rose up the ladder and stairs with loud thumps and grunts as his rhino head had difficulty navigating the metal grates around him. Rose flinched with every thud and waited for someone to look out their windows or for the sound of sirens. She was quickly distracted by a window that was open wide on the right floor.  
  
“Oh no,” she breathed as she peered in. Through the bedroom door, she could see part of a hand lying on the ground. “Damn it, Thane,” she growled as she climbed into the flat.   
  
Rose rushed into the main room but stopped at the threshold of the bedroom. It was too late for the human who had lived here, she could already see that. As Tybo entered through the window behind her, Rose turned to the bed and pulled off the duvet. She ignored Tybo for a moment and took the duvet out into the living room and gently laid it over the dead body. Then Rose stood and examined the room around her.   
  
“Thane not here,” Tybo repeated impatiently.  
  
“Just wait a moment,” Rose said as she walked over to the computer. The screen was rapidly sequencing numbers and Rose pulled out her mobile and hit the speed dial for Luke.  
  
“Yes Rose?” the boy answered quickly.  
  
“I’m at the source,” Rose told him. “Will it help or hinder if I cut the power on this end.”  
  
“At this point, I doubt it will make any difference,” Spock’s voice replied. “We have only been partially successful in using the Bad Wolf virus to block replication.”   
  
“You can’t stop it?” Rose asked. “Are you sure?”  
  
“Luke, K-9 and I are still making adjustments to the Bad Wolf virus,” Spock informed her. “We have yet to determine the full purpose of Thane’s code.”  
  
“Right then,” Rose said as she reached for the plug of the computer. “I’m shutting this side down at least.” With a sharp tug, she cut the power and the screen went dark. “Anything else to report?” Rose asked.  
  
“Well…” Luke started to say nervously. “Thing is that Rani and Clyde-”  
  
There was suddenly a knocking on the door and Tybo drew his weapon. Rose quickly gestured for him to stop and moved forward to the door quietly. She ignored the phone in her hand as she peered through the hole in the door to see Rani and Clyde standing in the hallway. Rose unlocked the door and pulled it open.  
  
“What are you doing here?” she demanded.  
  
“Sounded like you could use some help,” Rani explained with a smile. “And neither of us can help on the computer issue front.”  
  
“Get inside,” Rose hissed as she glanced through the hallway.  
  
The two preteens obeyed and scurried inside the flat. They stopped short when they saw the duvet covered lump in the living room.   
  
“Is that?” Rani asked in a soft voice.  
  
“I’m afraid so,” Rose confirmed with a sad nod.  
  
“We need to find this guy,” Clyde said with a sharp tone to his voice.  
  
Tybo lumbered across the room and into view. Clyde and Rani gaped up at the alien, but Tybo turned his attention to Rose.  
  
“Have you found clue?” he demanded.  
  
“Not yet,” Rose replied before turning to Rani and Clyde. “Look for anything that doesn’t belong here.”  
  
To their credit, both of them nodded and started checking the shelves and tables of the flat. Rani entered the kitchen while Clyde slipped into the bedroom. Rose turned her attention back to the living room. She frowned when her eyes caught a folded piece of paper on the mantel of the small electric fireplace. Walking over to it quickly Rose was highly aware of Tybo’s gaze on her and picked up the note quickly only to glare at it. In neat English were the words: To Captain Tybo and Rose Tyler.  
  
Rose unfolded the sheet of paper and was met with a series of odd symbols. She began to reach from her translator when Tybo pulled the not from her hands and looked at it. He growled loudly, pulling Clyde and Rani’s attention to him.   
  
“Thane’s location established,” Tybo announced.   
  
“Where?” Rose questioned. “I can’t read that.”  
  
Tybo’s communication beeped again and a series of odd sounds came from it. Rose grabbed her translator and slipped it on just in time to catch only a few words.  
  
“Emergency declared by Council. All Judoon granted full powers of authority.”  
  
“What was that?” Clyde asked Captain Tybo.  
  
Captain Tybo turned to Rose. “I have new orders, no longer require permission of humans to apprehend Thane.” Tybo narrowed his eyes at Rose. “Assistance appreciated, but this is now Judoon mission only.”  
  
“Wait a minute,” Rani protested. “This is our planet, not yours!”  
  
“Interference in Judoon apprehension is punishable by execution,” Captain Tybo announced firmly. “No longer human matter.”  
  
“Hey,” Clyde started to protest, but Rose grabbed him and pulled him away from Tybo.  
  
“Understood Captain Tybo,” Rose agreed with a nod as her eyes shifted to Tybo’s weapon.  
  
“Very sensible,” Tybo said before he looked at the note in his hand one more time before walking over a waste bin and dropping it in. Tybo then turned towards the bedroom and Rose kept a tight grip on Clyde’s arm and Rani’s hand as Tybo made the noisy climb back down to the police car.  
  
She dropped their hands once there was some distance between them and Tybo and rushed over the wastebasket. Rose fished out the note and examined the symbols.   
  
“Can you read it?” Rani asked.  
  
“Yeah,” Rose answered. “This isn’t good though, these coordinates are the old UNIT HQ.”  
  
“Isn’t that good?” Rani questioned. “UNIT will be there and catch him.”  
  
“Before or after the Judoon beam into the area to take Thane themselves,” Rose asked. “You heard Tybo, the Judoon now have full authority on Earth and any action they see as interference will be punished with death. Thane’s set up a trap for UNIT troops and the Judoon to kill each other!”  
  
“While Earth’s computer systems are overwhelmed,” Rani observed.  
  
“And then he takes the Judoon ship and gets away,” Clyde finished.   
  
“Well first thing is to call UNIT,” Rose muttered. She folded up the note and put it into her pocket. Pulling out her phone she pressed the number for Malcolm’s UNIT phone and frowned. “It’s not working,” she said. Rose pressed her contact for Benton, but that didn’t work either. Then the power in the building suddenly shut off leaving them standing in a dim room. “Thane’s turned off the power,” Rose growled. “The virus must be into all the controls for London by now.”  
  
“So no cell towers,” Clyde groaned with a frown. “I thought your phone always worked.”  
  
“Mine does,” Rose replied. “But if I’m calling a phone with no power to give it service then I’m out of luck.”  
  
“So we can’t warn UNIT and they’ll be on even higher alert,” Rani said. “What do we do?”  
  
“Stop it,” Rose intoned. “One way or another.”


	10. The World Killer: Obstruction of Justice

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Ten: The World Killer: Obstruction of Justice  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
……………………  
  
To their credit, neither Rani nor Clyde panicked at Rose’s words and followed her silently out of the building down the fire escape. Once she was back in the alley Rose pulled out her mobile phone.  
  
“I thought you said you couldn’t call anyone right now,” Clyde observed.  
  
“If they have a mobile,” Rose lectured quickly. “But I’m not calling a mobile, I’m calling the TARDIS.”  
  
“The TARDIS?” Rani breathed exchanging a look with Clyde.  
  
The phone rang and rang for what seemed to be an eternity before the answering service beeped on without a message. Rose sighed before launching into an explanation, “Doctor Thane is back on Earth with a super virus and the Shadow Proclamation has granted emergency powers to the Judoon so call me when you get this.” After a moment Rose added, “And carry your phone or give me Donna’s mobile number!”  
  
She slipped the phone back into her pocket and motioned to Clyde and Rani to follow her. They turned into the main street and Rose stopped in alarm. Power was out all along the street and an officer was trying to direct traffic. People on the sidewalks were holding their phones in the air trying to find signals.  
  
“Looks like the virus has spread,” Clyde observed.  
  
“This bad,” Rani muttered. “Lots of things rely on computers nowadays.”  
  
“Yeah,” Rose agreed with a frown. “Worse is how do we get across town with traffic like this.”  
  
“And you can’t get ahold of UNIT?” Rani questioned.   
  
Rose pulled her phone back out and examined her contact list. “Well I’ve got Malcolm, Benton and Tosh in here, but they are all mobile phones and those aren’t working right now.”  
  
“Tell me about it,” Rani grumbled. “Don’t those things have backup generators?”  
  
“Some do,” Rose agreed absentmindedly. “But a lot of that is also controlled by computers now; it isn’t just computers now, but coded commands in all kinds of machines.” Rose glanced around and spotted a hospital with lights in the distance. “At least it looks like the on-site generators are working at least.”  
  
“That’s something,” Rani acknowledged as she pulled her coat tighter around her. “What about land lines?”  
  
“Land lines contain some of their own power,” Rose explained as she studied her contacts with a frown. “And phone companies use battery systems and not just generators so maybe they still work.” She hit the button for UNIT’s central phone and promptly pressed the 0 button. There was nothing on the other end. “Bloody hell,” Rose hissed. “He’s altered the land line programming too. There is no way to communicate now.”  
  
“No telly, no radio, no phones and no internet with power off all over the place,” Rani observed in a soft voice. “People are going to be in a panic.”  
  
“That’s the point,” Rose concurred as they moved down the street, the two teenagers rushing along after her. “What makes Thane dangerous isn’t the advanced technology he brings to Earth or a fleet of ships. What makes him dangerous is that he goes to a planet and finds the weak point and uses them. He creates fear and panic until the world destroys itself.”  
  
“You’re afraid of him,” Clyde said stopping in his tracks and staring at Rose’s back. “You’re actually afraid of them.” The boy sounded horrified by the very idea.  
  
“Yeah,” Rose admitted before she turned to face Clyde and Rani. “Thane isn’t logical you two. He’s not like the Master who does it for power or the Daleks because he hates all other forms of life. He destroys worlds because it is fun for him and that makes him unpredictable.” Rose turned back to the street and walked towards an old dark blue car parked near the corner. She pulled out the sonic pen and unlocked the door. “Coming?” she called over her shoulder. “Or staying?”  
  
Rose climbed into the car and unlocked the other doors as she pulled out the wires for the starter. Neither teenager said anything as they climbed into the car and buckled up. “Right then,” Rose huffed as she pulled the car out into traffic. “Rule one is don’t panic. Rule two is to do what I say when I say it. Rule three…” Rose took a deep breath, “Try not to get killed.”  
  
“Rose you’ve been doing this for years,” Rani reminded her trying to sound upbeat. “You always win.”  
  
“No such thing,” Rose corrected. “And a lot of people have died even when I was trying to stop it. Remember all those earthquakes last year? Death toll of over two thousand. I wouldn’t call that winning.” Rose shook her head as she manoeuvred through the side streets to avoid the large intersections. “Things go bad even when you have a plan, people get hurt. Despite what you two might want to think you are children and aliens who invade Earth will still try and kill you.”  
  
“But-” Clyde started to protest.  
  
“Does the name Adric mean anything to you?” Rose asked them, looking up at them in the rearview mirror. They both shook their heads. “He was a boy maybe a year or two older than you who travelled with the Doctor. He died a senseless death trying to stop a crashing spaceship from hitting Earth.” Rose shook her head, “Only thing was that this spaceship was going to wipe out the dinosaurs and allow the evolution of the human race, but Adric tried to stop it. The Doctor couldn’t save him and Adric died for nothing.” Rose glanced at them again, noting that they both looked a lot less excited. “This is an adventure, but it still has consequences.”  
  
Once they reached the main streets the traffic smoothed out as police directed the flow of traffic. Rani and Clyde were quiet in the back seat and Rose fiddled with the steering wheel as she waited for her chance to be allowed through the traffic. She pulled out her mobile and looked at it in thought. Phones hadn’t been affected with the virus just yet so they were working, but all modern communication systems were down.  
  
“So, how does this virus thing work?” Clyde asked. “Is Thane taking over and shutting stuff down.”  
  
“Not exactly,” Rose answered. “There isn’t any control over what is happening, it isn’t like hacking where a program is taken over and given new instructions by a person.” Rose paused and shook her head, “What Thane’s virus is doing is writing random gibberish over the current codes which leaves the machine unable to understand any instructions.”   
  
“So the point is to totally botch things up,” Clyde clarified with a nod to himself. “Good job so far.”  
  
“But if he is the World Killer how does this destroy Earth?” Rani asked Rose with a curious stare.  
  
“Well if we don’t start a war with the Judoon then it is likely that countries will blame each other for the breakdown. If the systems all crash then massive amounts of data will be lost and that will cause people to panic.” Rose glanced back at Rani and Clyde, “And humans are pretty violent when we panic.”   
  
Rose’s phone suddenly rang and Rose snatched it up. Traffic was heavy so she handed it back to Rani. “Take this for me,” Rose told the girl.  
  
“Rose’s phone,” Rani answered cautiously. “Toshiko Sato?”  
  
“Put it on speaker phone,” Rose ordered as she pulled into fast moving traffic.  
  
“Rose?” Tosh asked when the phone was on speaker.   
  
“Here,” Rose replied. “Tosh, how did you manage this? The networks are down and landline coding is being overwritten.”  
  
“I was going over communication satellites that have been overwritten and realised that the old satcom system hadn’t been hit,” Tosh explained. “Thane must not have thought about them or they haven’t been connected to infected systems.”  
  
“You’re using the old satcom system?” Rose asked in a small stunned voice. “I didn’t know that those even worked anymore.” A smile took over Rose’s face, “You go, Tosh!”  
  
“Thanks, Rose,” Tosh replied, but her voice was still strained. “But we’re struggling over here with helping get systems backed up and tracking this thing. We’ve located the source, but we’re on the wrong side of London.”  
  
“I’ve just come from the source,” Rose explained quickly. “Thane left information on where he is for the Judoon Captain and me. He’s gone to the old UNIT HQ and is planning that when UNIT and the Judoon start firing at each other that he’ll steal the Judoon ship and escape.”  
  
“Bugger,” Tosh swore softly. “Rose we’re caught at the Tower HQ working on containing the virus. Benton can send for helicopters, but it will take at least half an hour for us to reach the base, where are you?”  
  
“I’m about fifteen minutes out,” Rose told her. “We weren’t too far from the motorway,” she explained quickly. “Any information on the backup status?” Rose questioned.  
  
“The financial sector has all begun backing up data due to the spread of the virus,” Tosh informed her quickly. “UNIT locations around the world have been downloading information for the past hour to preserve infrastructure programming. I know that least the US, the European Countries, Japan and Australia have their own backup systems.”  
  
“Good,” Rose breathed out. “Listen tell Benton and Malcolm that the Xylok is at Sarah Jane Smith’s house. If you call Luke and work with him and the Xylok you may be able to finish cracking whatever this damn virus is, its name is Spock. Tosh, warn Benton that the Shadow Proclamation has ruled that capturing Thane is their first priority. The Judoon have been granted emergency powers on Earth which gives them the right to kill under their laws.”  
  
“Got it,” Tosh said shortly without asking any questions. “Benton will be there as soon as he can so just do what you can.”  
  
Rose nodded to herself and pushed harder on the gas as she sped out of London towards the old manor house that UNIT had once worked out of. “Will do,” Rose promised. “Good luck to you.”  
  
The call ended and Rose glanced in the mirror at Clyde and Rani and sighed, “I guess you’re stuck coming with me after all.”  
  
“Will UNIT recognise you?” Clyde asked. “Without their technology.”  
  
“Yeah,” Rose assured him. “But the problem is that Tybo should already be there by now.”  
  
“Maybe he got lost,” Rani suggested.  
  
“Police car,” Rose reminded her. “He had GPS and an address.” Rose looked at her watch, “And it is only twenty minutes before the rest of the Judoon arrive.”  
  
“What’s at this old HQ?” Rani questioned.  
  
“It used to be storage until last year,” Rose explained, “But in the last six months, they’ve built some new research facilities there due to the alien ship that was repaired there. Thane can access more technology there and much more advanced stuff. It also means there are a lot more guards.”  
  
“How long til we get there?” Clyde asked. “Fifteen minutes?”  
  
Rose pushed harder on the gas and rushed past the car in front of her. “No, ten.”  
  
Ten minutes later Rose turned sharply on the paved road that led up to the UNIT gate and flinched. The gate was blown wide open and two guards were lying on the ground. She slammed the brakes on and turned back to Rani and Clyde.   
  
“Check on these men and look in the guard station for any radios, they don’t use programming the same way and should still work.”  
  
“Right,” Clyde replied as he took off his seat belt and jumped out.  
  
“Be careful,” Rani added before she climbed out of the jeep.  
  
Rose waited only a moment for the two kids to get clear before she drove through the burned metal remains of the fence and towards the main building. Looking around Rose tried to find a sign as to where Thane and Tybo were. She spotted the stolen police car parked in front of one of the hangers that had been converted into a two-story research lab and sped towards it.  
  
Rose pulled up just as an explosion rocked the area. She stumbled from the stolen car as a few people in lab coats and civilian clothing rushed from the building. Several were nursing burns and coughing. To her relief, Rose recognised one of them at Kate Stewart.  
  
“Kate!” Rose shouted and she rushed over. “Are you alright? What’s happened?”  
  
“An alien with the head of a rhino came into the complex,” Kate gasped as she straightened up. “We haven’t been able to contact HQ and the rhino has been blasting everything and yelling about Thane.” Kate gestured to those around her. “We were able to get out, but the computer system inside has started to crash from that virus so I’m not sure about the others.”  
  
“What about the soldiers who were guarding the complex?” Rose asked urgently.  
  
“Fighting the alien,” Kate replied sadly. “They were upstairs.”  
  
“Okay Kate,” Rose ordered, “Get the others to the house, Benton should be on his way.”  
  
“What about you?” Kate demanded.  
  
“I know the alien, he’s a Judoon and maybe I can convince him to stop shooting. Thane set this up as a trap so he could escape.”  
  
Kate nodded and as Rose moved towards the door Kate turned to one of the others and ordered, “Mary you help everyone down to the house and keep them there.” Kate didn’t wait for an answer before she pulled out her access key and shrugged out of the white lab coat leaving her in darker clothing. She rushed after Rose and met her at the door.  
  
“What are you doing?” Rose hissed.  
  
“Coming with you,” Kate informed her calmly. “You may be a qualified field operator, but you haven’t worked in these labs and have no idea where the fighting is.”  
  
Another loud series of blasts made the metal walls of the hanger shake and Rose looked at Kate. “I suspect I could figure it out.”  
  
“We don’t have time to argue,” Kate replied shortly before she grabbed Rose’s arm and started to lead her into the building.  
  
The quickly built interior of the building consisted of cinderblock walls and sheetrock that was crashing to reveal the cinderblock and wiring underneath. Another blast above their heads made both women pause, but Rose turned to Kate.  
  
“The Judoon’s backup will be here in ten minutes. We have to find Thane to hand over to them so they’ll leave!”  
  
“Any ideas where he would be?” Kate questioned.  
  
“He’d want to see what’s happening,” Rose declared as she looked around. “Any thoughts?”  
  
“There’s a small overlook near the fighting,” Kate suggested. “It’s where the officers show visitors what we’re working on.”  
  
“Lead the way,” Rose ordered as she glanced around. “And look out for the Judoon.”  
  
“This way,” Kate gestured to a passage to the right of the entry. “Stay close!”  
  
They worked their way up the stairs without any sign of the Judoon. The building was suffering from the weapons discharge and Rose wondered if any of the UNIT men were still alive. The bile rose in her throat as she realised that they’d have to simply let the Judoon leave. She also realised that she’d potential sent two preteens to check on corpses. Rose banished the thought and focused on Kate in front of her   
  
“This way,” Kate snapped. “Hurry!”  
  
…………………  
  
Luke Smith frowned as he typed another series of characters into Spock with a keyboard. Next to him, K-9 was a speaking to himself in a low voice as he fed data into Spock. Behind Luke, his mobile phone began to ring.  
  
“Rose!” Luke sighed in relief.  
  
“Not possible,” K-9 announced. “Even superphones are unable to connect to a phone that has been rendered-”  
  
“Do be quiet, K-9,” Spock ordered sharply.  
  
Luke frowned but grabbed his phone. “Hello?”  
  
“Luke Chesterton-Smith, this is Doctor Malcolm Taylor of UNIT,” an older male voice said through the phone. “We have managed contact with Rose Tyler and she told us to work with you and the Xylok to contain this virus.”  
  
Luke shifted nervously. “What are you talking about?”  
  
“The Xylok’s name is Spock,” Malcolm offered gently. “Luke, Rose trusts us and this is important.”  
  
“Alright,” Luke agreed. “Spock has been helping with downloads around the world while I work on the virus. It is a variation of the Bad Wolf Bug that Rose and the Doctor used to stop Thane’s nanobots.”  
  
“That we know,” Malcolm told him. “Tosh isolated the source as well, but we haven’t made much progress on stopping the virus thus far.”  
  
“It’s weird,” Luke admitted. “We found an odd sequence in the virus that we aren’t sure about. It isn’t overwriting anything and it almost looks like-”  
  
“Like it is saving the original information,” a female voice suddenly said on the line. “I noticed that too,” the woman added. “While extracting a fragment of an overwritten code it shifted partially back to its original form for a split second.”  
  
“Luke, this is Tosh,” Malcolm explained quickly. “Are you two suggesting that the virus isn’t really rewriting the code, but is just hiding it?”  
  
“Maybe,” Tosh considered thoughtfully. “Thane…. Well, he isn’t the usual kind of alien.”  
  
“It’s a game,” Luke said suddenly. “That’s got to be it.”  
  
“A game?” Malcolm repeated.  
  
“In a game, there is a way to win,” Luke insisted. “And if we win then the damage is reserved.”  
  
“How do we win?” Malcolm asked urgently.  
  
“I’m not sure,” Luke admitted. “Tosh what exactly did you do that caused the reversal.”  
  
“It only lasted for a split second,” Tosh told them. “And there were a lot of variables, too many for us to get through.”  
  
“I’m not sure about that,” Luke replied with a smile. “I’ve got a supercomputer robot dog and a Xylok with me so tell me what you’ve got and we’ll see what we’ve got.”  
  
……………..  
  
Clyde helped Rani shift the two guard’s bodies into the guard post. The radio was smoking from whatever weapon the Judoon had used to blast down the gate. Looking at the red gun Clyde wouldn’t have imagined it to be so powerful.  
  
“I hate this,” Rani groaned as she looked at the two bodies. “What did they do to deserve this?”  
  
“Obstruction of justice,” Clyde offered bitterly. He looked up the road at the house and said, “We can’t do anything more here.” He looked down at his watch, “The Judoon will be here in just a few more minutes.”  
  
“You’re right,” Rani agreed with a determined nod. “Come on!”   
  
They ran up the drive towards the main house, a group of scientists were entering the building with several wounded people. One of them looked at the children in surprise. “What are you doing here?” she asked in a nearly frantic voice. “You need to leave now!”  
  
“Where’s Rose Tyler?” Clyde asked.  
  
“She’s with Kate,” the woman answered quickly. “Come inside!”  
  
“There’s the car Clyde,” Rani called as she tugged on the sleeve of Clyde’s jacket. “Come on!’  
  
“No!” the woman shouted. “You can’t!”  
  
The two preteens ignored her and started running towards the building where the stolen car was parked. Rani reached the building first and stopped as she looked up at it. She took a deep breath and looked over at Clyde as he reached it.  
  
“Maybe we shouldn’t,” Rani suggested carefully.  
  
“We probably shouldn’t,” Clyde agreed. “I mean this guy scares Rose and by the sound of it Tybo is going nuts in there against UNIT.”  
  
“Yeah,” Rani agreed before she nodded and headed for the door. “If the world’s going to end in a nasty war with the Judoon then I’d rather die trying to stop it.”  
  
Clyde grinned nervously behind her and nodded in agreement as he followed her into the building. “Can’t argue with that one!”  
  
…………………….  
  
Rose and Kate rushed around the final corner and into the large area where UNIT soldiers were fighting the Judoon. A quick glance told Rose that many UNIT soldiers were down and the remaining UNIT soldiers were ducking behind overturned desks and machines, but Tybo was disintegrating what remained with his weapon at a rapid pace. Rose pulled out her sonic pen and adjusted the settings before pointing it at Tybo’s gun.  
  
The gun sparked and there was a bright flash of light. Rose backed away as Tybo looked down at his gun and growled. Then he turned to look around and spotted Rose holding the sonic pen. His eyes narrowed and he started to stalk towards her.  
  
“Obstruction of justice,” he announced. “Sentence execution.”  
  
Jumping away from Kate, Rose turned and rushed down the hall shouting behind her, “Kate help the others!”  
  
The heavy footfalls of the Judoon behind her made Rose shudder as she tried to navigate her way through the labyrinth of halls and small laboratory rooms. She turned a corner and came to a small lab with a heavy doorway that was still intact. Otherwise, the hall was a dead end. Rose slipped into the small lab but left the door open. Leaning against the wall by the doorway she summoned her sword and waited as Tybo’s heavy footsteps approached.  
  
The Judoon’s heavy breathing was in the doorway for a moment. Rose heard running suddenly down the corridor that she couldn’t place. Then Tybo fell into the room and against the lab table with a heavy thud.  
  
“Rose!” Clyde’s voice called.  
  
“Hurry!” Rani shouted.  
  
Rose moved away from the wall and twisted around the corner to leave the small room through the doorway. As soon as she was out Clyde put all of his weight against the door and closed it. Rani twisted the crank lock to seal it and stepped back. Rose took a quick breath and noted that both of them were shaking.  
  
“He’ll blast out of that soon,” Clyde exclaimed.  
  
“No he won’t,” Rose assured him. “I fused some parts of his gun, but now he wants me dead.” She looked at the two preteens. “That was stupid, but you also may have saved my life.” Rose allowed her sword to return to its bracelet form. “Between his armour and size, I’m not sure how much the sword would have done.”  
  
“We haven’t got much time left,” Rani reminded Rose nervously.  
  
“Just minutes,” Rose agreed. “Hopefully they’ll try to find Tybo first.”  
  
The trio quickly backtracked to find Kate and the others in the main room. Rose glanced into each room they passed hoping to find Thane easily, but they were soon back to Kate. The older blonde woman sighed in relief when she caught sight of Rose and glanced curiously at Clyde and Rani.  
  
“We’re sort of her junior partners,” Rani offered with a nervous smile.  
  
“You are nothing of the sort,” Rose huffed. “This is a one time I couldn’t get rid of you thing.” Rose looked over at Kate. “How bad?”  
  
“Nine dead and three survivors,” Kate told her. “Apparently the Judoon was holding their trials as he fired at them which slowed him down in killing them,” Kate explained bitterly.  
  
“The gate guards were dead too,” Clyde told them as he shifted on his feet.  
  
“I’m sorry,” Rose said softly, “I’m so sorry.”  
  
A harsh laugh to her right made Rose look over in alarm. Thane was standing at the corner of a passage that led off to the right. The passage leading to the observation room Rose realised with a frown. “Not as sorry as you are going to be Tyler,” Thane promised with a smirk, but then he frowned. “I thought you’d be better at the game than this.” Then he pulled something out of his pocket and threw it at Rose. She caught it on instinct and tensed as a cold feeling rushed over her.  
  
A moment later she stumbled forward but caught herself a moment later. Thane was standing a few feet in front of her in a large unfinished room with open sides Rose risked a quick glance around and realised they were in one of the hangers that was under reconstruction and was exposed on one side.  
  
“A teleport?” Rose questioned. “What happened to native technology only?”  
  
“That’s only to destroy the planet,” Thane replied with a shrug. “But you and I have unfinished business.” He took a step closer and looked at her. “So once again Tyler what did you see in the schism?”


	11. The World Killer: Reset Switch

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Eleven: The World Killer: Reset Switch  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
…………………  
  
He took a step closer and looked at her. “So once again Tyler what did you see in the schism?”  
  
Rose gaped at Thane for a moment as she struggled to control herself. “You’re joking,” she finally hissed. “People are dead! People I know and you just want to know about the damn schism!”  
  
“Well not just that,” Thane muttered with an offended huff. “Earth is on my to destroy list and I hate leaving work unfinished.   
  
“What’s your game, Thane?” Rose demanded, clenching her hands into fists.  
  
“Finally asking the right question,” Thane cheered with a wide grin. “Finally understanding!”  
  
“Alright,” Rose said slowly as she examined their surroundings. “Care to tell me the rules?”  
  
“If you win you get the reset switch,” Thane replied with a grin. “My little virus isn’t really rewriting your precious computer coding. It is masking it, confusing the computer with false gibberish. That’s the reason it can’t be stopped, not even by a Xylok and yes I detected him when I was on Earth last time. I’m very impressed.” Thane told her gleefully. “Just as the Bad Wolf Bug kept my nanobots from reading their program this is stopping your computers from reading theirs and providing false gibberish code to programmers to keep them running in circles.” Thane giggled to himself and said, “I was a bit worried when Captain Tybo arrived without you, but your young friends seem to have dealt with him.” Thane chuckled, “Bit young aren’t they.”  
  
“So was I,” Rose answered as calmly as she could.  
  
“Ah yes, I’ve read your file. Defending the Earth from age eleven,” Thane tilted his head at her, “But you don’t seem very happy to have these two trying to do the same.”  
  
“Stop this now Thane,” Rose ordered. “A platoon of Judoon are only a few minutes away. Stop this and leave. I know you’re clever enough to vanish for a bit and get yourself off of Earth. There are ships passing in range who could take you.”  
  
“Oh I’ll leave soon enough,” Thane assured her. “But this time I’ll be piloting the ship and not riding in the back like a common prisoner.” Thane paused and tapped his chin thoughtfully. “My only regret is that I won’t see all the fun your pathetic little planet is about to go through. They’re all in a panic over a major cyber-attack and then a team of heavily armed aliens start thundering through London.” He chuckled and added, “You humans are so violent when you’re panicked and the Judoon won’t take that kind of reaction from an irrelevant species like you.”  
  
“How’d you manage it?” Rose questioned to stall, for what she wasn’t sure. The Judoon patrol would be here any second, Captain Tybo had been given full authority and she was pretty sure that herself, Rani and Clyde were now on an execution list.  
  
Thane pulled a small device from his pocket and held it up. “Look familiar?”  
  
Rose blinked as the light reflected off of the casing of her old mobile phone, her superphone to be exact. The one the Doctor had used to transfer the Bad Wolf Bug into Thane’s telepathic interface.  
  
“I managed to snatch this from the rubble the last time we met,” Thane confessed. “The Judoon didn’t consider scraps from a primitive planet a threat and allowed me to hold onto it as my personal possession.” Thane tossed the phone into the air and caught it with a smirk. “But I knew better.”  
  
“So that’s how you had the Bad Wolf Bug,” Rose observed in a stunned voice before she recovered. “Tell me does it still work as a phone?”  
  
“No,” Thane sighed dramatically. “The Bad Wolf Bug corrupted your contacts, pity because I noticed that the TARDIS was among them.” Thane leaned forward his eyes peering at Rose. “I found that very interesting.”  
  
“I’m the junior partner,” Rose replied with a shrug. “So now what do you plan to do Thane?”  
  
“You have a new phone don’t you?” Thane half asked and half insisted. “Call the Doctor! I want him here!”  
  
“I tried,” Rose admitted a bit nervously. “He wasn’t there.” She paused and then asked, “Why don’t you stop things so he can come here and still see the fireworks.”  
  
Thane gave her a withering look. “That was a weak attempt Tyler,” he scoffed. “I know you can do better.”  
  
“I’m not having a good day apparently,” Rose defended. “Everyone has off days.”  
  
“Yours can get your planet destroyed,” Thane reminded her with a cruel grin. “Funny thing about the Shadow Proclamation is they can only charge me for a handful of the worlds I’ve ‘helped to their destruction.’  Most of my best work was too subtle, rather like Earth, I helped put events in place that caused the civilisations to turn on each other. The planet Shintic destroyed itself in a nuclear war, but according to the Shadow Proclamation I didn’t actually cause the war since they made the choice.” Thane held up the superphone and grinned, “It will be the same for Earth unless you get this phone back.”  
  
“What do you mean?” Rose asked as she took a careful step towards Thane.  
  
“The reset trigger is in this phone,” Thane teased. “Your superphone was my weapon and control for all of this and the way to reserve it is in here. You get the phone and activate the switch and all the coding that I have played with will revert to normal.”  
  
Rose stared at Thane and then her eyes moved to the phone which he tossed in the air gently. “So how do I get the phone?” Rose questioned. “What are the rules to the game?”  
  
Thane smiled and walked to the edge of the construction zone and looked down the two-story drop. “Tell me what you saw in the schism,” Thane demanded. “And I will give you the phone.”  
  
“I didn’t see anything,” Rose swore urgently as she tried to take a step towards Thane, but he put the phone threateningly over the drop. “I heard something like a song in my head but that was it.”  
  
“A song?” Thane repeated, “Really you want me to believe that?”  
  
“That’s all there was,” Rose promised taking another tiny step forward as she spoke. “Really I don’t remember seeing anything. I was in a trance.”  
  
“That’s too bad,” Thane grumbled as he turned to look at the phone in his hand. “I hate liars Rose.”  
  
Rose lunged for him and caught his free hand trying to pull him away from the edge. Thane lashed out at her with his elbow catching Rose at her collarbone. Rose stumbled near the edge for only a split second before she recovered and tried to grab the phone. Thane’s free hand slipped behind his back for a moment before he quickly produced a gun. Slipping her hand under his elbow Rose tried to grab the weapon away from him, but Thane fired off a shot.   
  
The bullet ripped across the sleeve of Rose’s shirt, ripping the top layer of skin in what felt like a hot knife slashing the skin. A short cry escaped Rose, but she tried to grab the gun away from Thane. The phone clattered to the ground and Rose saw Thane grin before he kicked the phone off the edge of the construction platform. Spinning back from Thane, Rose delivered a sharp kick to his chest which sent the alien back away from the edge. He landed on the platform with a heavy thump and gasped for air. Rose started to move towards him, but Thane raised the gun and fired.  
  
The bullet sailed past her by only a few inches as she stumbled at the edge of the platform. Gripping her shoulder, Rose looked up Thane to see him rushing at her as he giggled in glee. She moved to evade him, but Thane caught her injured arm with his own shoulder. His momentum carried them both over the edge. Rose had only a few seconds to twist her body and bend her knees. She rolled forward as her feet hit the ground and grunted in pain as her shoulder impacted with the packed earth of the construction site. Her vision blurred as tears sprung to her eyes despite her struggle to stay aware. Next to her, she could hear laughing.  
  
“The phone is in pieces,” Thane’s voice sang from below her. “You lost the game, why couldn’t you just answer the question.”  
  
“I hate you,” Rose hissed as she used her right arm to force herself into a sitting position.   
  
She could barely feel her left shoulder and what she could feel wasn’t good. Her vision cleared enough to look around and see the shattered phone remains on the ground near her body. Thane was lying next to her with his legs twisted in an odd position.  
  
The sound of a helicopter nearby helped Rose focus and she looked around. Her breath caught when she spotted a ground of heavily armoured Judoon stalking towards her and Thane with Captain Tybo in the lead. Next to her Thane giggled and let his head fall back against the ground. Clyde and Rani were with them and being held by one of the Judoon guards.  
  
“Oh well,” he chuckled lightly. “I still had fun.”  
  
Captain Tybo reached them in less than a minute and pulled out a long strange looking chain which he attached to Thane’s wrists. He harshly pulled the man to his feet only for Thane to crumple back against another Judoon. Tybo growled and removed another device from his belt and pointed it at Thane. The alien twisted into the air and an energy bubble appeared around him, elevated and supporting his injured body.  
  
Rose gripped her injured arm, ignoring the blood from the bullet wound just below the dislocated joint. Her legs felt heavy and were shaking from the impact leaving her unsure of her ability to stand. None the less as the Judoon stepped closer to her, Rose raised her chin and tried to look calm. Rani and Clyde were released a moment later and stumbled over to Rose. Rani knelt at Rose’s side and tried to rearrange the fabric of Rose’s sleeve to cover the wound. Clyde joined them and picked at the pieces of the phone. Thane was struggling in his new energy prison but was smiling at the sight they made. Rose shifted her weight and tried to move in front of Rani and Clyde, but wasn’t able to move more than a few inches.  
  
Captain Tybo stopped in front of her and examined her. “Obstruction of justice,” the Judoon announced as he turned his eyes to Rani and Clyde. “Punishment execution.”  
  
“This is our planet,” Rani shouted raising her chin and climbing back to her feet. “We have more of a right to defend it then you have to stomp around on it enforcing laws that aren’t ours.” The girl’s hands were gripped tightly and shaking slightly, but Rose felt a touch of pride. Clyde nodded and stood up, taking Rani’s shaking hand in his on.  
  
“She’s right,” Clyde added. “We’re not one of your planets and we don’t answer to you.”  
  
“These two are minors,” Rose said to Captain Tybo. “Under Earth law, they are not yet about to understand the consequences of their actions. Surely the Shadow Proclamation recognises children as being other than adults.”  
  
“Rose what are you doing?” Rani hissed.   
  
Rose ignored Rani and kept her gaze locked on Captain Tybo as she spoke, “Spare the children their offence. They are not able to understand the situation to the full extent of an adult.”  
  
Captain Tybo looked at the two preteens for a long moment before nodding. “Physical and mental developmental level noted and accepted.” Captain Tybo turned back to Rose and raised his weapon towards her. “Sentence stands for the adult.”  
  
“No!” Rani and Clyde shouted.  
  
“Halt!” Benton’s voice shouted as he and two soldiers rush up the path towards them. “Under section 17 A of Article 19 I demand the immediate end of Judoon actions on Earth.” Captain Tybo straightened and lowered his weapon slightly as he and the other Judoon looked over at Benton. The Brigadier General took a few gulps of air and moved over to them quickly. “Under section 17A of Article 19, you have no authority even under emergency orders once the emergency is ended. The emergency and right to command justice on Earth only lasted so long as Thane was not in Judoon custody.” Benton nodded to their prisoner. “He is now in your custody and your authority on this planet is over.” Benton stepped closer and placed himself between Rose and Tybo. “Any further action against a citizen of this planet will be considered assault or murder both under Earth law and the Articles of the Shadow Proclamation.”   
  
Captain Tybo looked over at the other Judoon who nodded in agreement. “Very well,” Tybo said with a nod. “Defence arguments acknowledged under the laws of the Shadow Proclamation.”  
  
Benton nodded but glared at the Judoon even as they put their weapons away. The two soldiers moved over to Rose and carefully started to check her legs for injury. Rose barely noticed them as she watched the Judoon and the Brigadier. Benton drew himself up to his full height, which was still a few inches shorter than the large rhino-headed Judoon, but close enough. His eyes flickered over to Thane who looked surprised at the glare he received.  
  
“Do a better job of holding him this time,” Benton said sternly. “I don’t want that alien back on my planet ever,” the last word came out as a near growl. “And if you lot ever harm another human you may be surprised by the fight you’ll have on your hands.”  
  
The Judoon Captain seemed to at least understand some body language because they stepped back from Benton and nodded. Rose’s eyes turned to the Brigadier General whose clenched hands were shaking. The Judoon vanished in a blue teleport a moment later and Benton turned to the other soldiers.  
  
“Start removing the wounded and dead. I want medical teams to check over everyone and I want all the hangers and labs searched,” he order. “Get Tyler to the medics.”  
  
They all snapped to attention at his tone and Rose found herself straightening up as Benton turned to her. Rose was carefully helped to her feet which shook a bit but held her weight. The Brigadier looked over at the hanger where the fight with the Judoon had taken place.  
  
“This is the first time I’ve had to allow an alien that killed humans leave,” Benton murmured. “I’d love to shoot Thane, but I’m angrier at that Judoon even more. They ever set foot on my planet again they’ll find out just what kind of ‘primitive’ creatures we can really be.”  
  
Rose nodded in understanding as a medical van pulled up next to them. One of the soldiers gently helped him into the back and the medic started working on her shoulder and checking her legs and back for injuries. She looked out the back of the van to speak with Benton. The Brigadier turned to her and gave her a nod. “The Doctor called me via Tosh’s system and told me what to say to the Judoon to save you and he sounded very worried so call him.”  
  
Rose looked over at Clyde and Rani who were shifting nervously. Benton followed her gaze and nodded to himself. “And now for you two.”  
  
“Sir?” Rose questioned. “What about the virus?”  
  
“Don’t worry about it Tyler,” Benton told her sternly. “And that’s an order.”  
  
After almost any other day Rose would have argued, but the look on Benton’s face and her own near exhaustion plus the pain in her shoulder made her nod in agreement. Giving Rani and Clyde a quick nod, Rose turned her attention to the medic caring for her and carefully pulled out the phone that had been in her right pocket. A moment later the medic closed the back door of the van and told the driver they were good to go.  
  
Benton watched the van until it drove around the old manor house and out of view before he turned back to the preteens. “You shouldn’t have come here today,” Benton said simply. “It was stupid.”  
  
“It’s our planet too,” Rani argued. “We have a right to defend it.”  
  
“How much do you know about Rose’s history?” Benton questioned.  
  
“A bit,” Rani replied cautiously. “She’s been battling aliens for years.”  
  
“She was also trained by UNIT with full field agent curriculum when she was sixteen,” Benton informed them. “To Rose this isn’t a hobby or a game this is her life.” Benton shifted slightly as he spoke. “Her real life isn’t university, friends or family. This is her real life: aliens, people dying, deadlines, tension and adrenaline,” he said seriously. “It isn’t something that a person can just jump in and out of on a whim or for fun.” Benton looked Clyde right in the eye. “I value your courage and desire to save your planet but did it occur to you that trying to protect you since you’re children would distract Rose and UNIT soldiers. Rose knows UNIT protocols and how things work so she works with and around us without issues.”  
  
“Then train us,” Clyde countered. “Rose won’t be here forever!”  
  
“No,” Benton answered, “We did that once and I’m not sure it was the right thing to do.”  
  
“But Rose saves the world,” Rani reminded him. “How could that not be the right thing?”  
  
“I worry about how she fits into normal life,” Benton admitted, “She doesn’t have many friends despite the fact she is trying, she is closest to other people who know about aliens, she risks her life on almost a monthly basis and sees things that even I don’t want to see. How is any of that alright for someone who isn’t even twenty-one yet?” Clyde and Rani were quiet and Benton shook his head to himself. “This isn’t a game, kids, my men are ready to die if it protects Earth and I know that Rose is as well.”  
  
“Yes sir,” Clyde said softly.  
  
Benton looked at Rani who nodded quickly and then nodded. “Good, now that I’ve said that you two did a decent job here today.” He pulled out a card and handed it to Rani and then another to Clyde. “This is my contact information, it is not to be shared, but if you come across something then call UNIT at once.” He gave them a look, “Ask Rose she usually calls us just in case as well.” Benton gestured for the two kids to follow him, “Colonel Mace will debrief you and set up your UNIT identification numbers. Then you will be returned home.”  
  
“Sarah Jane isn’t going to like this,” Clyde said in a low voice to Rani.  
  
“Sarah Jane Chesterton-Smith UNIT ID number D6794,” Benton said from ahead of them. “Remind her that if UNIT is going to change to listen more to nonviolent approaches and civilians than we do need civilians to occasionally listen to us as well.”  
  
………………….  
  
The old medical wing had recently been refitted and Rose found herself sitting on a bed with her arm in a sling. Her shoulder had been relocated into place and she’d been given pain medication and an aspirin to keep inflammation down. All around her the wounded scientists and the few surviving soldiers were either being treated. Those with major injuries were in the helicopter on their way to the Tower hospital.   
  
“Hi Rose,” the soft voice of Toshiko called from the doorway.  
  
“Tosh,” Rose greeted with a tired voice. “Please tell me that you have some good news.”  
  
Toshiko smiled and set a bag on the bed with Rose before she unzipped it. She pulled out a laptop and opened it up. “I do have good news,” Tosh assured her as she turned the screen towards Rose so she could see the sequencing code. “Luke and I both spotted the same thing and with Spock and K-9’s help were able to replicate the reset switch. Once we knew what we were looking at it really wasn’t hard.”  
  
Rose’s eyes closed in relief and she took a deep breath. “When did you do it?”  
  
“Malcolm finished just a few minutes ago,” Tosh told her gently. “He’s working with the others to verify that UNIT’s computers are alright and apparently Spock is running diagnostics on computer systems in the major cities.”  
  
“So why are you here?” Rose questioned. “I’m sure that Malcolm could use your help.”  
  
“He was worried about you,” Tosh answered with a small smile. “Benton called and said you had been injured.” Tosh looked around at the others. “Doesn’t look like things went well here.”  
  
“They didn’t,” Rose said simply. “The Judoon killed a lot of people and then got to leave Earth like he wasn’t a murdered,” she added bitterly.  
  
Tosh reached over and squeezed Rose’s hand. “I know Rose,” she assured heer. “It wasn’t your fault.”  
  
“I know that,” Rose assured her. “I just…” Rose shook her head, “I’m good Tosh,” she promised.  
  
Her mobile phone was sitting next to her on the bed and suddenly started ringing. Picking it up Rose gave a small smile as the word ‘TARDIS’ appeared on the screen.  
  
“I’ll talk with you later,” Tosh said as she packed up her laptop and stood. “Take care of yourself okay?”  
  
“I will,” Rose promised even as her attention was focused completely on the phone.”  
  
“Malcolm will be wanting to talk with you about the Xylok soon,” Tosh added.  
  
“Okay,” Rose said with a vague nod. “I need to take this.”  
  
“I know,” Tosh replied before she reached over and touched Rose’s shoulder. “You really did well you know.”  
  
“Thanks,” Rose murmured before lifting the phone her to ear. “Hello?”  
  
The chipper voice of Donna answered. “He’s been pacing for the last twenty minutes!” Donna hissed, “I swear that-”  
  
The phone was suddenly pulled away and the Doctor’s voice came on. “Rose are you alright?”  
  
“A few minor scrapes,” Rose told him softly. “I’m fine, but UNIT took a lot of damage.”  
  
“I know,” the Doctor sighed through the phone. “I’m sorry, but this was one of those times that…” he trailed off. “It was important that humans do this one solo.”  
  
“I hate Judoon,” Rose muttered after a moment her voice becoming small. “I hate Thane, but I also really hate them.”  
  
“I know,” the Doctor told her in a softer voice. “Now you know why the Shadow Proclamation thinks I’m just a legend. I avoid them like the plague.”  
  
“Yeah, I understand now,” Rose agreed as she eyes caught another body bag being moved into the medical wing. “There’s so many…” Rose trailed off and gathered her thoughts before she asked, “Does it ever get easier?”  
  
“No,” the Doctor admitted with a soft voice. “It doesn’t.”  
  
“I love you,” Rose whispered to change the subject.   
  
“And I love you,” the Doctor promised gently on the other end. Rose took a shaky breath and laid out on the bed.   
  
“So,” she said when she was comfortable. “Tell me about your day.”  
  
The Doctor gave a light chuckle on the other end and started to talk about the corrupted empire being controlled by an alien merchant just looking to increase his profits in the area that he and Donna had overthrown. Rose let her eyes drift shut and focused on the Doctor’s words instead of the body bags that were still being brought in. Malcolm, Tosh, Luke, Spock and K-9 had reset the coding damage, but there was no reset switch for the consequences and Rose just needed to escape that reality for a little while.


	12. Christmas Time: Torchwood Summons

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Twelve: Christmas Time: Torchwood Summons  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
……………….  
  
Christmas Eve was chilly with a light dusting of snow under a clear sky full of stars that seemed brighter than usual. To most people this would have inspired a quiet night of reading, playing games with the family or pulling out a telescope with the children. Jackie Tyler, however, was not that kind of person which was why number 22 on Bannerman Road was bright with every light on and music was echoing out into the street. Fortunately for Jackie Tyler, there were no neighbours to complain as the entire street had been invited tonight.  
  
The living room was a mess of people moving around with plates of foods, drinks and chatting with their neighbours. A few streamers had been put up around the room and a large Christmas tree that Rose and Jackie had decorated three days ago dominated a corner of the room. In the dining room, the table was covered with platters of food that Jackie and Rita had set out that neighbours had only added to as they joined the party.   
  
Rose Tyler manoeuvred her way through the throng of people carefully as she walked over a chair that had been pulled into the living room from the kitchen and sat down. She gently rotated her left shoulder and stretched out the muscles.  Her UNIT doctor had allowed her to remove the sling only a week ago and had assigned her a series of daily exercises to strengthen the arm after four weeks of immobility, but Rose found the party making her a bit more tense than usual. Rose picked up the crackers she had made up with cheese and bit of meat and nibbled on the edges as she watched the party in front of her.  
  
Rani Chandra sat down next to her a moment later with a wide smile on her face and holding a camera. In front of them the room was a mess of people Music was pounded in the room and Rose’s eyes landed on the conga line that weaving its way through the house. It was no surprise to the blonde that her mother Jackie Tyler was at the head of the conga line with Gita Chandra, her partner in crime of roughly a year behind her.  
  
“I got a great photo of the conga line,” Rani said cheerfully. “Ten quid says they go out the front door and into the street.”  
  
“No bet,” Rose replied with an affectionate chuckle. “With my Mum at the head of it that is a forgone conclusion.”  
  
Rani laughed and looked through another doorway and out to the dining room where her father was speaking with Johnny about some new computers the school was considering. Malcolm Taylor was standing in the corner of the dining room speaking in a low and excited voice with Luke and Ian while Tosh looked on with a smile. Jackie had been a bit confused by Rose inviting the scientist she occasionally helped and his ‘assistant’ Tosh but hadn’t argued with Rose’s additions to the guest list. Rose also caught sight of Sharon and Shareen flirting with a man a few years older than them who was visiting his parents from his home in Bristol. The last she’s seen of Sarah Jane and Barbara was with Rita-Anne in the kitchen.  
  
“Any idea where Clyde is?” Rose asked a moment later when she failed to locate the boy.  
  
“I think he went outside actually,” Rani said with a shrug. “Why?”  
  
“Just curious,” Rose answered as she stood up.   
  
“How much longer ‘til it goes outside?” the happy voice of Shareen laughed as the brunette walked over to Rose.   
  
“I put it within the next half an hour,” Rose told her. “Mum’s getting that look.” She turned back to Shareen, “Decided to let Sharon have him?”  
  
“They are actually connecting,” Shareen sighed dramatically. “I just meant it as fun, but this might actually land her a date.”  
  
Rose looked over at Sharon who was now talking very animatedly with the man and smiled slightly. “Good for her,” Rose agreed with a smile. She looked around the room and stood up after tossing the last cracker in her mouth. “I think I’ll get some air.”  
  
The way to the kitchen was congested with traffic as people got food so Rose turned towards the front door leaving Rani to snap more photos. Shareen, however, followed Rose through the mess to the front door. Rose snatched her and Shareen’s coats from the hooks and went out the front door which she left only loosely latched in anticipation of the conga line leaving the house.  
  
Clyde was sitting out at the street edge with his mobile and a jacket on. “Something wrong?” Rose asked as she walked over to him.  
  
“No,” Clyde told her with a smile as he stood up. “Just needed some air,” he assured her. “And Luke was talking with Ian and Mr Chandra about some kind of particle accelerator.”  
  
“I see,” Rose said with a smile. “Bit sciency for you.”  
  
“Well you probably understand it,” Clyde shrugged with a nod to Rose. “But I certainly don’t.”  
  
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Rose told Clyde. “You’re a smart boy Clyde Langer and I bet you’d understand things like that if you wanted to.”  
  
“And there’s the crux of the matter,” Clyde answered a grin. “Not really interested in the sciency bit, that’s definitely Luke’s department.”  
  
The front door burst open and Jackie Tyler led the conga line out into the front garden of her home and down the drive. Rose moved to the side as Jackie winked at her daughter as the line continued to dance and sing. Watching with a smile, Rose pulled out her mobile and recorded a quick video of half the street parading by.  
  
“Gita!” Haresh Chandra called from the front steps. “You’ll catch your death out there without a coat.”  
  
“Oh live a little Haresh,” Gita’s happy voice called back. “It’s Christmas.”  
  
“It’s freezing,” Mr Chandra muttered before going back inside. Clyde laughed and followed his head teacher back into the house.  
  
Rose shook her head and put her phone back into her pocket. She turned to Shareen and said, “I’m going a take a little walk.” She pointed the opposite direction to the conga line.  
  
“You okay?” Shareen questioned.  
  
“Yeah,” Rose moved her shoulder again. “I guess the house being that crowded is just a bit much for my shoulder.”  
  
“It takes time to recover from a dislocated shoulder,” Shareen reminded her. “That’s what Sharon says anyway.”  
  
“UNIT will be very glad when she finishes school,” Rose laughed. “I know she’s on their recruitment list.”  
  
“Does that bother you?” Shareen asked as they started to walk down the street.  
  
“Not really,” Rose answered with a wistful smile. “UNIT does a good job of trying to keep medical staff out of harm’s way and I know that they’d look after her.” Rose looked over at Shareen, “You’re on the list too.”  
  
“That’s not surprising,” Shareen remarked. “Counsellors and therapists who can’t deal with the idea of aliens aren’t valuable to an organisation like UNIT.”  
  
Rose nodded in agreement and they settled into a calm silence as they moved down the street a short ways. Then the silence was broken by two large black SUVs pulling onto the street. Rose gripped Shareen’s hand and pulled her off the street and onto the pavement. The first SUV slammed on its brakes and pulled up next to them. The second SUV turned and parked almost in front of them at an angle. Rose pushed Shareen behind her and shifted her weight, but didn’t enter a full fighting stance. The passenger doors of both SUVs opened and two men in neat suits stepped out.  
  
“Miss Tyler,” the first man who was Caucasian, almost six feet tall with dark hair and eyes greeted. He pulled out a very official looking ID car with a T logo on it. “I’m Mark Peterson with Torchwood and I need you to come with us.” He eyes went to Shareen. “Miss Bell this does not concern you please return home.”  
  
“Not bloody likely,” Shareen snapped. “Rose doesn’t work for you.”  
  
“Shareen,” Rose hissed in warning.  
  
The second man stepped closer to them. He was Indian and dressed in a suit as well, but didn’t bother to introduce himself. “Miss Tyler you are a citizen of the United Kingdoms are you not.”  
  
“You know I am,” Rose replied as she resisted the desire to roll her eyes.  
  
“Under Torchwood’s royal charter you can be summoned at any time as a subject of the Queen,” the man told her. “Please come with us at once, Miss Hartman is very anxious to see you.”  
  
Rose glanced between the two men, noting their posture and carriage. They were both trained in combat, well that or dance and given their line of work Rose knew which one was more likely. “Alright,” Rose agreed with a nod. “One second.” She didn’t want for an answer, but turned around and pulled Shareen a few feet away. “Go tell Malcolm about this,” she told Shareen in a low voice.  
  
“I will,” Shareen promised.  
  
“Give my mother some excuse for my absence,” Rose said in a louder voice. “Anything you can manage so she doesn’t worry.”  
  
“Okay,” Shareen answered with a nod that the Torchwood men could see. “Do you have your stuff?”  
  
“Mobile and pen,” Rose assured her softly. “And my wallet is in my coat pocket.”  
  
“Okay,” Shareen sighed as she looked back at the Torchwood agents. “You’d better go.”  
  
Rose nodded and let go of Shareen’s hand to rejoin the Torchwood agents. Peterson motioned her towards his car and opened the back passenger side door to let her climb in. Rose noticed the tinted windows as the door was closed and wished she could wave to Shareen, but her friend wouldn’t see her. Instead Rose did her best to look calm for the driver who was watching in the rearview mirror. She buckled her seatbelt and gave him a quick smile.  
  
Peterson climbed back in and Rose asked, “Any idea what this is about?”  
  
“My orders are not to discuss it,” Peterson replied shortly. “Hartman wants to talk to you herself.”  
  
“Lovely,” Rose sighed as she leaned back in the seat. She watched her street vanish as the two SUVs started the trip to wherever they were going.  
  
…………………………  
  
Shareen watched the SUVs pull away from the street and waited until they were out of sight before she ran back to the Tyler house. With the conga line working its way back up the street she was able to slip into the house and find Malcolm much more easily. The UNIT scientist was still deep in conversation with Luke, Ian and Tosh.   
  
“Doctor Taylor,” she hissed.  
  
Malcolm turned to her with a smile, “Shareen I’ve told you to just call me Malcolm.”  
  
“Torchwood took Rose,” Shareen told him in a low voice.  
  
Malcolm’s smile vanished and his eyes hardened. “Torchwood took Rose?”  
  
“They ordered her to come with them under the terms of their Royal Charter,” Shareen explained.  
  
“I need to call Benton,” Malcolm gasped as he pulled out his mobile and headed for the back door through the kitchen.  
  
“This is bad isn’t it,” Luke asked softly as he looked at his grandfather.  
  
“I don’t know anything about Torchwood,” Ian admitted gently. “But I’m sure Rose can handle herself.”  
  
“She can,” Shareen said with a nod. “She’ll be fine.” But Shareen still looked worried and followed Tosh as the Asian woman moved to follow Malcolm outside.  
  
They reached the Tyler’s back garden in time to hear Malcolm say into his phone, “Yes sir Torchwood ordered Rose to accompany them under their Royal Charter.” Malcolm nodded, “I know they never use it with UNIT personnel, but this time they did. I guess they aren’t concerned about us not officially knowing about them anymore.” Shareen turned to see Luke and Ian coming into the back garden with worried expressions. “I see sir,” Malcolm said, “Yes I’ll ask. I’m sorry to call you on Christmas Eve.” Malcolm shut the phone and turned to Luke. “Luke, do you think it would be alright it I met Spock and he helped me hack Torchwood?”  
  
Luke looked at Malcolm and smiled. “I think that’s a good idea,” he said gesturing for Malcolm to follow him out the garden gate. “Come on.”  
  
………………………………….  
  
London flashed past her in the window as the driver and Peterson remained silent in the front seat. Rose didn’t pull out her phone to check the time and just kept looking out the window. They finally slowed down when they reached an area near the water. A tall building towered over everything around it and Rose knew that it was where they going. The SUVs stopped in front of the building which was the only one in the area with any lights on. Peterson climbed out and opened Rose’s door.  
  
She didn’t’ have time to examine the building before she was rushed through the main doors and into a large white and black lobby. The place was very professional and had Rose not been familiar at least a little with Torchwood she would have simply thought it a regular business. The lift at the far end of the room opened with a ding and Yvonne Hartman stepped out. The blonde was wearing an elegant and professional black dress and had a wide smile on her face at the sight of Rose.  
  
“Rose my dear,” Hartman greeted with a wide smile. “I thought you’d never get here.” The blonde woman pulled Rose’s arm to lead her to the elevator. “I’m so pleased that you have finally made it here.”  
  
“I was brought here on your orders,” Rose reminded her sternly. “Apparently you can order any citizen here.”  
  
“We can,” Hartman agreed as the elevator doors closed. “We don’t do it often as it can attract attention and upset some people.”  
  
“Imagine that, being ordered about would upset someone,” Rose muttered.  
  
Hartman’s face seemed to struggle to keep its smile as they climbed off the lift, but remarkably the blonde woman managed. “I think you’ll like our facilities, Miss Tyler. We do a lot more with alien technology than UNIT’s labs do.” Hartman pushed open a set of doors and led Rose into a massive lab. A large ship was up on lifts at one end of the room and the whole place was full of different technology bits. “Welcome to the heart of Torchwood,” Hartman announced proudly. “We have a motto: if it’s alien it's ours. Anything that comes into the sky we strip it down and we use it. For the good of the British Empire.”  
  
“There isn’t a British Empire anymore,” Rose said.  
  
“Not yet,” Hartman replied with a smile.  
  
“No,” Rose said with a frown. “I know that there is a future Mexican Empire in four hundred years, the New Roman Empire in a thousand years and the new Russian Empire in one thousand three hundred years, but I’m pretty sure that there isn’t a New British Empire.”  
  
Hartman’s smile didn’t falter as Rose walked over to one of the crates and looked down at the large heavy looking clamps inside it. She picked it up and tested the weight.  
  
“Ah yes. Now, we're rather fond of these. The Magnaclamp. Found in a spaceship buried at the base of Mount Snowdon. Attach this to an object and it cancels the mass. I could use it to lift two tonnes of weight with a single hand. That's an imperial ton, by the way. Torchwood refuses to go metric.”  
  
“I thought Mount Snowdon was UNIT’s territory,” Rose said thoughtfully. “They’ve got a nice base there.”  
  
“This was before their base was built,” Hartman informed her proudly.  
  
“Well these would be good for construction work,” Rose observed, examining the clamp. “Cut down on a lot of accidents that’s for sure.”  
  
“All these devices are for Torchwood’s benefit. Not the general public’s,” Hartman informed her in a slightly patronising voice even if she did keep her sweet smile on the whole time.  
  
“So what do you want Hartman?” Rose asked. “You didn’t call me on Christmas Eve to show off, especially since UNIT doesn’t officially know you exist.”  
  
“Oh they know about us,” Hartman argued in a cheerful voice. “Have for years even if there is no official contact.”  
  
“Well I’m under contract with UNIT,” Rose pointed out. “So summoning me is a rather big step away from no official contact because their Scientific Advisor was at the party you called me away from.”  
  
“The Doctor?” Hartman asked with a teasing tone.  
  
Rose gave her an unamused look and simply said, “No, not that one.”  
  
“Pity,” Hartman sighed dramatically. “Torchwood has been wanting contact with the Doctor for decades. UNIT was a bit too protective of him when he lived on Earth for us to manage that.”  
  
“I can’t see him wanting contact with you,” Rose told Hartman as she tried not to smirk. “He likes UNIT because they’re focused on planet Earth, no borders and no national bias.”  
  
“We must defend our borders from the alien,” Hartman argued with an innocent expression.  
  
“Funny thing is that from space there aren’t any borders,” Rose countered with a smile. “Just one planet and the human species.” Rose turned to Hartman and raised an eyebrow. “Tell me you didn’t call me away on Christmas Eve to give me a recruitment speech.”  
  
Hartman tilted her head and looked at Rose carefully. “You’re a bit different than I expected,” she admitted a moment later.  
  
“Hard to get an understanding of someone from a file,” Rose replied. “Let me guess family information, as much of my history with UNIT and aliens as you could manage, my education history and personal contacts?”  
  
“More or less,” Hartman confirmed with a nod. “I’d love more information obviously, but UNIT doesn’t let my men anywhere close to former companions of the Doctor’s and the Queen is fond enough of the Doctor to side with them.”  
  
“True,” Rose said with a smile. “Elizabeth does like it when he pops round for tea.” Rose smiled at Yvonne and asked in an innocent voice, “What about for you?”  
  
“Follow me, Rose,” Hartman ordered in a tighter tone. “Why we called you here is through here.” Hartman looked down at her watch, “I was planning on giving you an hour tour, but if you’re in such a rush to get started then we’ll get started.”  
  
Rose slipped her hand into her pocket protectively around her mobile and the sonic pen as she followed Hartman. She was led through a few corridors and doors until they reached a sealed room. Swiping a card key, Hartman smiled as the door opened and motioned for Rose to enter it. The room was a sterile medical room with two rows of beds, one on each side of the room. Males were on one side and females were on the other, all with personal motioning equipment.  
  
“All these people are in comas,” Hartman explained. “They fell into them over the last month.”  
  
“I’m not a medical doctor,” Rose said to Hartman as she glanced into the room. “What do you want from me?”  
  
“One moment,” Hartman told her as she looked down at her watch. “Every hour on the hour like clockwork.”  
  
“What happens every hour on the hour?” Rose questioned turning to Hartman.  
  
“Rose Tyler,” a collective voice called from behind Rose. She spun towards the voice only to find that every person in the room speaking her name in synch. “Rose Tyler.”  
  
Rose turned back to Hartman who smirked and announced, “That’s why I called you Miss Tyler. Every one of these people was brought here because they keep saying your name.”


	13. Christmas Time: Christmas Shootout

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Thirteen: Christmas Time: Christmas Shootout  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
…………………………  
  
It took Rose’s mind a moment to process Hartman’s words and she was aware of Hartman watching her closely. Forcing herself to move, Rose walked over and looked at the first patient. She didn’t recognise the middle-aged man in the hospital gown so she moved on to the teenaged boy in the next bed. Again she didn’t recognise him so she continued on until she had circled the whole room and returned to Hartman.  
  
“I don’t know any of them,” Rose told Hartman. “Any kind of connection amongst them?”  
  
“Two things,” Hartman agreed sounding a bit pleased. She gestured to a woman in a suit that was waiting at the side of the room. At Hartman’s signal, she came forward and handed Rose a file folder. “Thank you, Mary,” Hartman said pleasantly. She turned to Rose and added, “I think it's very important to know everyone by name. Torchwood is a very modern organisation. People skills. That's what it's all about these days.” Hartman smiled smugly and added, “I'm a people person.”  
  
“It shows,” Rose remarked shortly with a touch of sarcasm before she opened the file. The first piece of paper was a map with the homes or workplaces of the affected people all within three square miles. “That’s interesting,” Rose murmured thoughtfully.  
  
“It is isn’t it,” Hartman agreed. “We’ve searched of course, but haven’t found anything unusual in the area.” Hartman frowned slightly. “That’s actually unusual in itself given its central London.”  
  
Rose said nothing and flipped through the file, glancing at the information on each of the victims hoping to find some kind of link. It looked random enough except for the location, but maybe they had all visited the same restaurant or shop. “What was the second thing they had in common?” Rose questioned.  
  
“Look at their individual bios,” Hartman ordered in a smug tone. “Look at their birthdates specifically and the current picture of them.”  
  
Rose did as Hartman said, but frowned in confusion. According to his file, the middle-aged man in front of her was only in his thirties. The woman across from her that appeared to be near her seventies was only in her mid-forties. It was the same for all of them, they all appeared older than they should be. For some, the effect was mild with only a few years being added on, but for others, it appeared that whole decades had been drained from them. Rose looked around with a stunned expression.  
  
“They’ve been aged,” Rose breathed in shock. “All of them.”  
  
“That’s why they caught our attention,” Hartman announced. “That and them saying your name,” Hartman added with a shrug. “Any thoughts on what this could be?” Hartman questioned.  
  
“Nothing I’ve seen before did anything like this,” Rose supplied politely as she closed the file. She looked over at the people and then back at Hartman. “Why tonight?” she questioned. “If these people have been here and saying my name for almost a month why did you call me Christmas Eve.”  
  
“We ran out of options,” Hartman replied smoothly. “The timing just turned out this way and I’m not content to leave them like this for the holidays.”  
  
“UNIT then,” Rose retorted with a small smirk of her own. “You figured they’d be less likely to notice you took me on a busy holiday.” Rose glanced around the room. “But Malcolm is rather protective and has sounded the alarm by now.”  
  
“I mean you no harm,” Hartman insisted. “You are human and a British subject.” She stepped closer to Rose and added, “Your experience and contacts could take you so much further in Torchwood.”  
  
“My contacts?” Rose questioned with a raised eyebrow. “You want the Doctor,” she realised in an amused voice. “I recommend that you let that idea go now. The Daleks, Cyberman, Sontarans and the Master could never hold him so you haven’t got a chance. The only thing capturing him would result in would be the destruction of Torchwood. Know your limits.” Rose smiled at Hartman and added, “And I quite like my position with UNIT thank you. I’m respected now and my ideas are taken seriously. I have good friends in Scientific Research, the new commanding officer is someone I consider a friend and I’m well paid for occasional consultant work that leaves me lots of time for school and travel.” Rose looked at Hartman pointedly. “I’m not really a suit and desk sort of woman.”  
  
Hartman gave Rose another one of her charming smiled and offered, “This isn’t the whole operation Rose. We have all kinds of positions. You’d make quite the field agent defending England from aliens.”  
  
“I prefer to defend Earth from aliens,” Rose reiterated. “Focusing on national borders really isn’t my sort of thing.”  
  
“Tyler,” Hartman huffed with a touch of impatience. “We can do this like the civilised British women that we are or we can cause trouble for each other. Surely you see that this is far easier. After all, Torchwood hasn’t produced traitors like Colonel Adams or put you in harm’s way.”  
  
“No Torchwood just sneaks around in the shadows,” Rose snapped before forcing herself to calm down. “This just isn’t my kind of organisation, modern or not, Hartman.”  
  
“Why are you judging us so harshly?” Hartman asked with a curious and unhappy expression.  
  
“You don’t get it,” Rose explained with a shrug. “You don’t really see what you’re working with here. To you, it is just powerful technology that can give you an edge. You don’t see the potential danger the Earth, you don’t see the aliens as potential victims, just enemies and you’re not interested in the future of humanity as a whole.” Rose shook her head and continued, “UNIT has its flaws, but at least it gets it. Maybe it was the influence of the Doctor or other events, but they get why they should exist and understand the limits of that purpose.” Rose looked at Hartman and shook her head before saying, “You don’t Hartman. I think you’re as likely to destroy the planet as save it because you’ll poke at and try to use something you shouldn’t.”  
  
There was a tense silence in the air that was ended by Mary stepping up next to Hartman and speaking in a low voice. “Three UNIT vehicles are outside with Brigadier General Benton and General Lethbridge-Stewart is on the phone on behalf of UNIT command. They are protesting the use of the Charter summons clause on one of their employees citing that her employment is of international concern.”  
  
Rose couldn’t help herself, she did try, but she couldn’t manage it so a smug smile of her own appeared on her face. “They couldn’t have timed that better.”  
  
Hartman inhaled sharply and then turned to Rose. “Well it was a pleasure to meet you Rose and I do hope we see more of each other in the future.” Hartman’s eyes flickered down to the file folder still in Rose’s hand, but she didn’t say anything about it. “Mary please escort Miss Tyler downstairs to her ride.”  
  
“Yes ma’am,” Mary answered. “This way Miss Tyler.”  
  
Rose nodded to Hartman and followed Mary to the door. She paused and looked over her shoulder at the small crowd of coma patients for a quick moment. Turning back to Mary, Rose tried to focus on the layout of the Torchwood building but was quickly taken to a lift. She slipped the folder on the coma patients inside her coat. It was only a short ride down to the lobby where Benton and several UNIT personnel were waiting tensely with Torchwood security. Benton’s features softened with relief as Rose walked over towards them.  
  
“Come along then Tyler,” Benton called professionally.  
  
Rose nodded and followed Benton outside and climbed into one of the vehicles. Benton joined her a moment later and sighed loudly once the door was closed. They were both silent until the vehicle began to move forward.  
  
“What did they want?” Benton asked.  
  
Rose looked at Benton for a moment and proceeded to tell him about the odd coma patients and Hartman’s speeches about Rose joining Torchwood. While she could remember she recanted everything she could remember about the technology they had and the layout the building.  
  
“Torchwood has been around for a long time,” Benton explained once Rose had finished her story. “But I don’t think the Doctor knows anything about them. For the most part, they are just scavengers grabbing up bits of alien crashes or as you saw once trying to get their hands on actual aliens.” Benton shook his head. “But over the last decade they’ve become more aggressive and have been suspected in some very shady things. This was a strange move on Hartman’s part. She must have been really certain she could convince you to join them or needed something else.”  
  
“Like what?” Rose asked.  
  
“No idea,” Benton admitted with a sigh and a shake of his head. “Well, plus side you’ve seen inside the new building. We didn’t have much information about it.”  
  
“New building?” Rose questioned, remembering how modern it all was.  
  
“Yeah Torchwood had that skyscraper built a few years back and have based most of their operations out of it since,” Benton told her with a thoughtful frown. “It’s never made much sense to me.”  
  
“I’m sorry about your Christmas Eve,” Rose apologised a few minutes later.   
  
Benton laughed and looked over at her. “Better this than an invasion,” he said. “Now that would put a damper on Christmas Eve.” His face turned more serious and he said, “Rose if Torchwood is working on this problem then you should keep your distance. Torchwood has jurisdiction in this case as all the victims are UK citizens and they found it first.”  
  
“Finders keepers,” Rose groaned softly. “I understand. I won’t get UNIT into trouble.”  
  
Benton gave her a searching look but seemed satisfied as he nodded to her. Then he settled back in his seat for the remainder of the ride. It was twenty-one thirty when Rose was dropped off at the end of her street. Down the road, she could still hear music playing, but she could see neighbours from the party on their way home. Rose shook her head and waved over her shoulder to the UNIT vehicles before she started the walk home. Rose decided to enter through the back and entered the garden. She cast a hopeful glance at the spot that the TARDIS seemed to always land, but it was empty.  
  
Her mother’s laughter was echoing from the main room and she could hear the voice of Gita Chandra still speaking with her. Rose peeked into the living room to see several guests still drinking and eating, but no sign of Malcolm or Tosh. She climbed the stairs to her room and wasn’t surprised to find Sharon and Shareen waiting upstairs for her while speaking in low voices.   
  
“Rose,” Shareen cried with obvious relief as she leapt off of Rose’s bed to hug her. “You’re home.”  
  
“I’m home,” Rose assured her. “And I’m fine.”  
  
“Malcolm looked really worried,” Sharon said as she studied Rose’s face.  
  
“Don’t worry,” Rose said with a reassuring smile. “Torchwood was just hoping to pull a fast one on UNIT by recruiting me and hoped with the holiday that UNIT wouldn’t be watching as closely.”  
  
“So?” Shareen asked.  
  
“Oh I won’t ever join them,” Rose assured them with a shake of her head. “They are a disaster waiting to happen. Someday they are going to pull off something really stupid like capturing an important alien whose planet invades to get them back or something.” Rose shook her head. “It’s a good thing they had nothing to do with Thane or the Judoon.” Rose pulled off her coat and tossed the Torchwood file on her desk. She turned back to her friends ignoring their curious looks. “Come on,” Rose called cheerfully. “I’d better make another appearance at the party.”  
  
Her friends gave her searching look and Shareen glanced over at the folder that Rose had left on the desk, but both followed her downstairs. Jackie didn’t seem to have noticed Rose’s absence and based on her face she’d had a few too many drinks. She and Gita were on the sofa in the living room talking far too loudly while Haresh looked on with a mixed disapproving and amused look. Rani was sitting nearby with Luke and Clyde speaking in low voices. Luke spotted Rose first and moved over to his quickly.   
  
“Are you alright?” Luke questioned.  
  
“I’m fine,” Rose answered with a smile. “Someone just broke protocol to talk to me and UNIT wasn’t happy about it.”  
  
Rose looked over at Sarah Jane and nodded to the older woman to indicate that she was fine. She was spared from having to explain further by Rita Anne asking for some help in the kitchen. Rose obediently followed the dark skinned older woman into the kitchen and started helping with packing up leftovers. Rita Anne was not a woman to waste anything. Mickey joined them in the kitchen a moment later and gave Rose a curious and slightly worried look. She gave him a smile and stack of dishes to start washing.  
  
It was twenty-three o’clock at night when everyone had departed for the night and Rose had tucked her tipsy mother into bed. Rita Anne’s room was dark and quiet and the house felt very still after the bustle of the evening. Rose rolled onto her side and looked over at the file on her desk. She’d tried to put the situation with Torchwood out of her mind, but she was connected to it. Torchwood might not be willing to force her to do anything because of UNIT, but she was now a part of it. Benton may have asked her not to, but Rose couldn’t stop thinking that she needed to do something. The victims had said her name and Rose couldn’t shake the feeling that this had been arranged for her benefit or her destruction which was far more likely.   
  
She shoved aside her duvet and climbed out of bed with a sigh. It only took Rose a few minutes to pull on clothes and pack her coat pockets with the sonic pen, her mobile phone and a small torch. She picked up the file from her desk and quickly wrote a note to Jackie that she’d gone out to see some friends and would be home for dinner. Hopefully, her mother would sleep in and find the note late in the morning. Given the alcohol she’d consumed, it was rather likely and Rita Anne didn’t take much notice of what Rose did. She’d just have to make sure she was home for dinner with her mum, Rita Anne and Mickey. Plus she was expected to visit the Chesterton-Smiths across the street this evening for their first family Christmas with Ian, Barbara, Johnny, Sarah Jane and Luke.   
  
Starting up her SUV, Rose quickly pulled away from her home and into the street. She looked down at the file in the front seat and flipped it open to the map. Taking a deep breath she nodded herself and started the trip. While on the way she tried to determine who was capable of something like this. One name easily came to mind, the Silver Lord, who she knew at least had some influence over time. The Doctor had said that Chronovores ate time so maybe he was draining time away from people to eat. She shifted nervously in the driver’s seat as she reached the centre of the three square mile area. Quickly Rose parked the vehicle on a side street and climbed out.   
  
She fingered the torch in her pocket with one hand as she started to walk around. Rose had no idea what she was looking for as she wandered the street. She could see her breath along with that of other wanderers, but the streets were quieting down as midnight approached.   
  
Finally, Rose stopped and shook her head. “Why am I doing this?” she asked herself in a low voice. “Torchwood is already on it.”  
  
She turned to head back to her SUV when a light in a side alley turned on and illuminated a bit of graffiti in the alley. Rose stopped and a stared at the words Bad Wolf which was painted in a rainbow effect across the alley side of a building. Almost automatically Rose walked towards it. She noted that the front of the building was being rented by three small shops and had signs indicating a few professional offices, but the absence of lights on the upper floors told Rose that it wasn’t used for flats.   
  
There was a doorway near the Bad Wolf sign, but Rose hesitated for a few long moments. Finally, she pulled out her sonic pen and unlocked the door. The inside of the building was warm compared to the outside, but the area she had stepped into showed signs of ongoing renovation. Rose dug the small torch out and stepped into the corridor. Everything was still and silent. Rose’s footsteps echoed on the tile floor as she walked slowly along, using the light of her torch to keep an eye out for other people or construction work. Rose had the feeling that she was being watched and quickened her pace as she headed for the occupied front of the building. With the sonic pen, she quickly disabled the first camera that she spotted in the hallway.   
  
The first floor of the occupied offices didn’t yield anything that looked odd to Rose and she had to wonder if she would even notice anything out of the ordinary. Consulting a chart of the floors Rose decided to go to the top floor and work her way down from here. The highest occupied level was the fifth floor so Rose found a stairwell and climbed up.  
  
The fifth floor was almost identical to the first with a few floor black floor rugs laid out on the title corridors in front of doors. Each door had either a sign or a nameplate next to it. A few doors had chairs and small tables next to them to serve as waiting areas.  The beam of her torch searched the area until it fell on a sign that said Wolf Consulting. Rose stopped in front of it and looked it over, it didn’t look special at first glance.   
  
Stepping closer to the door, Rose inspected the area as best she could. It was neat and tidy like all of the other rented spaces and in sharp contrast to the areas under renovation. A gold plate on the door under the sign simply read: Doctor Patrick Barnes. Pulling out the sonic pen, Rose unlocked the door and pushed it open. She stepped inside quietly and used her flashlight to look around. The office was normal enough with a desk in the centre and a pair of chairs in front of it. A bookshelf dominated one side of the room and Rose stepped forward to look at it. The books made her blink in surprise because most were on advance physics and few on theoretical temporal mechanics. She turned back to the office and studied it with a critical eye. Then a small box on the desk caught her attention. It was metal with elaborate symbols on it that looked like an artistic design, but Rose knew better as her translator shifted the design into words. She carefully picked up the box and turned it into the light of the torch so she could read it.  
  
“Rose,” she breathed as she saw her name on the top of the box. “Can you solve this little problem?” she read out softly before turning the box again. “I’ve taken something precious to all of them.” Rose shifted the box to read the third side. “It cannot be returned.” The final side said, “What will you sacrifice?” She stood there studying the box for a moment before she looked at the bottom of it and read, “The Silver Lord.” Carefully she opened the box, but it was empty.  
  
Rose slipped the box into her pocket after recovering from her surprise. She took a moment and locked the door behind her before spinning back the way she’d come. Rose checked once again for cameras as she walked back towards the stairwell. Rose turned into another corridor and smiled as she saw the stairwell door she’d used ahead of her.   
  
Suddenly to her right a flash of blue light filled one of the rooms, it had no door so Rose could clearly see a field of energy in the centre of the room. It shimmered for a moment as a humanoid form appeared. Rose blinked as the light cleared to see a tall light-haired man appear in the hallway with his hand on a device on his wrist. Rose recognised the light show as a vortex manipulator like the one the future Eleventh Doctor had used.  
  
He looked up at Rose and grinned at her. “Well this just became easier,” he remarked as he pulled a gun from his belt. “Nothing personal,” he told her in a pleasant voice as he pointed the gun at her. “But business is business. Give me the box.”  
  
“The box?” Rose questioned with wide eyes as she struggled to keep herself from panicking. “What box?”  
  
“I’ve been trying to get it for days,” the man huffed. “But it had some kind of biological lock on it. I was alerted when the lock was broken.”   
  
“Easy,” Rose pled raising her hands. “Just calm down.”  
  
“The box,” the man repeated.  
  
Rose looked down at the weapon in his hand. It wasn’t anything special, just a normal weapon like the sort she’d been trained with. However, she didn’t doubt that he knew how to use it. “How do I know you won’t kill me?” Rose questioned as she tried to gauge the distance to the stairwell.  
  
“Give me the box and I let you live,” the man said with a stern look.  
  
“Okay,” Rose said as she started to lower her hands. “Okay just give me a second.” The man moved a bit closer to her and Rose took a step back. “Easy,” she said. “And please put that away. I’ll give it to you.”  
  
The man gave her a hard look but took a step back which gave Rose a bit more room. She reached into her pocket and gripped the sonic pen instead of the box. Her eyes landed on an unfinished wall light over the man’s head. Quickly she whipped out the sonic pen and pointed it at the light. The wires sparked and crackled drawing the man’s attention as hot electric sparks fell around him. Rose didn’t wait to see the damage but instead launched herself towards the stairwell door.  
  
Rose flinched back behind the corner as another round of shots went off. Her mind was a whirl as she tried to figure out who was shooting at her. Torchwood came to mind and Rose wondered if Hartman had set a trap for her, but surely they would by UNIT’s main suspects. They had been when the Tervtian ship had been attacked at UNIT HQ last year.  She shook off that idea immediately; Torchwood did not have vortex manipulators. If they had Hartman would be mucking up history to ensure the preservation of her precious British Empire.  
  
Rose tensed when the man became to rush down the hall towards her. Taking a quick breath, Rose pushed herself off the wall and to the doorway. Stumbling into the stairwell, Rose managed to catch herself and use the sonic pen to lock it behind her. It was cold and only a few of the lights were on, but Rose forced herself to move down the stairs as quickly as she could manage until she reached the ground floor. Behind and above her she heard banging on the door but didn’t stop to look up.  
  
Rose let out a soft breath of relief as she reached the ground floor and tried to get her bearings. She knew she wasn’t out of trouble yet as there was still an armed man in the building who was after her. The torch illuminated most of the hallway and Rose had to wonder how long it had been since the building had been occupied or the renovations had been actively worked on. She turned right and headed back towards the doorway she had used to enter. At least she knew the way from there.  
  
There was another flash of blue light up ahead of her, but Rose only had time to turn to run from it. Another flash of light from a side corridor forced Rose to skid to a halt in shock and fear. A man jumped out of the side room to grab her, turning her body away from the bullet shots that erupted at the end of the hall. She heard a grunt above her head as her rescuer was hit and he moved her into the small side corridor  
  
Rose looked up as the grip on her loosened. A dark haired handsome man was looking down at her with a mixture of worry, happiness and amusement. He pushed her away from him and leaned around the corner with a gun that Rose only had a second to notice before he fired it.  
  
The dark haired man turned his eyes back to her and grinned even as the gunshots echoed in the halls. “Captain Jack Harkness at your service Rose Tyler.” He gave her a flirty smile and added, “And I do mean at your service.”  
  
Rose gaped at him, but he turned his attention back down the hall. Jack reloaded his gun and emptied another clip down the hallway, smiling when there was the sound of cursing. Rose flinched at a few more gunshots in the distance and heard the strange man grunt in pain as he moved closer to the corner. Her eyes flew to his right shoulder where blood was seeping from a wound. He shoved her away from him, around the corner as he raised a gun in his left hand and fired three shots. Jack ducked around the corner to join Rose but caught her hand as she reached for his wound.  
  
“Don’t worry about it,” he told her with a smile.  
  
“You were shot,” Rose insisted looking up at his face for a moment before looking back to the wound.   
  
A soft golden light shone around the wound and Rose watched in shock as the blood vanished and the wound closed right before her eyes. The glow faded away and she looked up to see Jack smiling at her in amusement.   
  
“I told you not to worry about it,” he reminded her cheerfully as he loaded another clip into his gun. “Just give me a moment to deal with these idiots.”  
  
Jack swung around the corner and fired off the six shots in the clip while Rose looked around to see if there was someplace she could escape. Her rescuer clearly wasn’t human or at least not her kind of human so she could only assume she’d gone from the frying pan and into the fire. Spotting a doorway marked with an exit sign down the side corridor, Rose rushed for it ignoring Jack shouting after her. The shooting behind her stopped suddenly and she heard Jack shout for her to wait, but she kept running.   
  
Rose used the sonic pen to open the door and burst out into the cold night air. She glanced around trying to figure out which side of the building she was on in relation to the main street. Taking a breath she listened for the sound of traffic and headed towards it, staying close to the building so she didn’t get lost in the strange area. She turned a corner and saw the Bad Wolf graffiti and started to run for the main street.  
  
The door she had used to get inside burst open and the blond man rushed towards her. A gunshot ripped through the air and Rose froze in shock, sure that she had been hit. The blond man stumbled forward gripping his shoulder in pain. Rose looked past him to see the dark haired man, Jack, standing with his gun trained on the strange blond man. The centre part of Jack’s shirt was dark with blood and the blond man looked over his shoulder at him in shock. Then the blond man seemed to recover and raised his gun towards Rose, but Jack was faster. Rose flinched back as the blond man dropped to his knees only a few feet from her with a small bullet wound in his forehead. Gasping, Rose moved back from the body and looked up at Jack. The dark haired man quickly put his gun back into its holster and raised his hands.   
  
“I’m not going to hurt you, Rose,” he promised. “I came here tonight to save you from him,” Jack motioned down to the corpse. “He was going to kill you so he could get the Silver Lord’s box. That enemy of yours made it so only you could take the box. Torchwood didn’t even notice it.”  
  
Rose watched the man carefully as he moved over to the corpse and pulled off the vortex manipulator. “Problem with the Time Agency closing,” he muttered. “All sorts of people are getting their hands on these.”  
  
“Who are you!?” Rose demanded as she straightened herself up.  
  
“Captain Jack Harkness,” he told her once again with a flirty smile. “And it is all my pleasure, Rose.”  
  
“Spare me,” Rose hissed as she lowered her right arm to call forth her sword.  
  
“I’m a friend of yours,” the man told her in a more serious tone with a soft smile. “You sent me here tonight to help you stop the Silver Lord.”  
  
“I sent you?” Rose questioned.  
  
“You won’t survive this without me,” Jack said very seriously. “And that is not a pickup line. The Silver Lord means to kill you tonight and I’m here to make sure that doesn’t happen.”


	14. Christmas Time: New Old Friend

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Fourteen: Christmas Time: New Old Friend  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
……………………………..  
  
“You won’t survive this without me,” Jack said very seriously. “And that is not a pickup line. The Silver Lord means to kill you tonight and I’m here to make sure that doesn’t happen.”  
   
Rose stared at Jack trying to decide if he was being honest with her. Strangely her normal instinct to fight or put distance between them wasn’t activating. She barely noticed the blood stained into his shirt fade away in a soft golden glow that dissipated a moment later.  
  
“That’s a nice trick,” she offered softly as she stared at the now clean and crisp fabric.  
  
“It is isn’t it,” Jack laughed though it didn’t reach his eyes. “We need to get moving.”  
  
He reached for Rose’s hand, but she quickly moved away with a few quick steps backwards into the alley. “Do you honestly expect me to go with you?” Rose hissed before gesturing at the corpse. “You shot him! He’s dead!”  
  
“He was going to kill you, Rose,” Jack reminded her urgently. “I couldn’t let that happen. Trust me! I did what I had to do in order to save you.”  
  
“You want me to trust you?” Rose gasped, “I don’t even know you.”  
  
Jack seemed surprised by her words, but nodded a moment later and pulled his hand back. “I guess you don’t,” he admitted gently. “This is our first meeting in your timeline, but not in mine.” Jack gave her a soft smile. “When I first meet you, Rose, you believed in me when I saw no reason for you to do so. You were my friend from the start even when I made it pretty hard to trust me.” Jack grinned and added, “You even defended me to the Doctor. I’m not sure who was more surprised me or him.”  
  
Rose glared at Jack and said, “It’s not uncommon knowledge that I know the Doctor.”  
  
“True,” Jack agreed with a nod. “But it isn’t common knowledge that you are in a romantic relationship with a future version of him partially because your future-self has disappeared. Even if you recently saw her after her return to the TARDIS which proved to you that you will come back from whatever happens.”  
  
Rose refused to react to the words. If he was from the future and this was some kind of trap then he’d probably know that. Jack sighed softly and glanced around to check that no one could see them with the dead body. He turned back to her and gently told her, “Your name is Rose Marion Tyler. You were born on 27th April 1986 to Peter and Jacqueline Tyler. Your father died when he was hit by a car when you were just an infant. Your UNIT ID number is D79 and you currently live at number 22 Bannerman Road when you aren’t at school in Cambridge.”   
  
Jack smiled at her and continued to speak, “Your best friends after the Doctor are Shareen, Sharon and Eve. Your favourite colour is turquoise, your favourite food is chips and you love tinkering and painting. You like fantasy novels, especially Tolkien, but with your lifestyle, you find most science fiction dull. You keep letters from Eve and the Doctor in a hollowed out copy of the Time Machine. You’re a fan of the original Time Machine movie and once told me that if you could use three books to rebuild civilisation you’d use How Things Work, the complete works of William Shakespeare and Siddhartha. You like watching bad science fiction movies to pick them apart and when you do it with the Doctor you two can’t stop laughing. You use your translator to watch foreign films so you get the full effect without subtitles. You love to paint imaginary worlds as well as those you’ve seen so you never lose your imagination even in sight of everything you get to see in your life.”  
  
Jack took a step towards Rose as he watched her face soften and become more vulnerable. “You’re very kind and generous,” he revealed with a smile. “You have a great capacity for forgiveness and try to find the best in everything around you. You’re very loyal and don’t give up on your friends or family. Part of you has a hard time trusting others in a crisis as it can make you vulnerable or put someone you care about in danger, but you still try. I know that sapphire around your neck was a gift from Jane Grey, someone you couldn’t save. And I know that right now even as you face new dangers with the assurance of a future with the Doctor you are still very frightened of getting things wrong.” Jack reached out a touched Rose’s shoulder. “In short Rose Tyler you are a very strange person, but a great pleasure to know.”  
  
“Who are you?” Rose whispered.  
  
Jack smiled and answered, “A friend with a vortex manipulator from his Time Agent days. I know how to travel in time without causing damage to timelines.” Jack took her free hand and tugged it gently. “Come on we need to get out of here.” Rose didn’t fight Jack as he brought her back to the street. He looked up and down the quiet street. “Where’s your vehicle?” Jack asked.  
  
Rose pointed down the street and managed to say, “About two blocks that way.”  
  
Jack nodded and led the way, not releasing Rose’s hand and keeping his eyes tracking the entire street as they walked. They moved quickly and Rose took a chance to study Jack more closely out of the corner of her eye. He was very attractive with a charming smile, but he carried himself like a soldier. Someone who was highly trained and remained aware at all times of what was around him. Her gaze dropped to the wrist where his vortex manipulator was kept. It looked like a wide leather wristband, the sort of thing that wouldn’t attract much notice. Rose wondered if Jack was the friend the Eleventh Doctor had borrowed the vortex manipulator he had used from. It fit she realised and helped her calm down a little more.  
  
When they reached the vehicle Jack snatched Rose’s keys from her hand and climbed into the driver’s side while ignoring Rose’s glare. “Trust me,” Jack murmured as she glared at him. “I know where we can go to think and talk.” Rose huffed but climbed into the passenger side with no further complaint. Jack smiled to himself and started up the car. He looked down at the clock and then at Rose. “Happy Christmas,” he said with a grin.  
  
Rose glared down at the clock and couldn’t quite help her own smile. “Happy Christmas,” she returned with a little smile towards Jack who returned her smile with a full grin.  
  
He drove them away from the area quickly, taking side streets in a direction that Rose was not familiar with. As the lights of London move past her window Rose pulled out the box and studied it.  
  
“Don’t open it,” Jack warned quickly glancing at her from the driver’s seat.  
  
“It’s empty,” Rose told him with a hint of confusion. “I opened it earlier.”  
  
“Did you touch the inside?” Jack asked urgently.  
  
“No,” Rose answered now even more confused. “What does that matter?”  
  
“In a few minutes, I’ll explain,” Jack promised as he returned his focus to the road. “But I want to be away from this area first.”  
  
Rose wanted to argue and demand answers now, but the tightness around Jack’s mouth and the way his grip tightened on the steering wheel gave her pause. She looked down at the small box and considered the words on it once more.   
  
“Rose, can you solve this little problem? I've taken something precious to all of them. It cannot be returned. What will you sacrifice?”   
  
Jack’s reaction to the box only worried her more and Rose settled for slipping it back into her pocket for the time being. She sat back in her seat and looked out the window trying to find landmarks or street signs, anything to give her a sense of where she was. They were actually near the Torchwood building, Rose realised as she spotted the skyscraper in the distance to the right of them, but it didn’t seem to be Jack’s destination. Suddenly, Rose’s phone rang pulling her from her thoughts and observations. She pulled out the mobile and accepted the call without bothering to check the caller.  
  
“Hello?” Rose answered as she rubbed her tired eyes.  
  
“Hello Rose,” a male voice taunted on the other end. “It seems you found my puzzle box.”  
  
Rose instantly woke up and straightened automatically in her seat. “Silver Lord,” she greeted as calmly as she could. “You sound different,” she observed.  
  
“New body,” the Silver Lord replied calmly. “My native form doesn’t exactly blend into your world very well.”  
  
“So you’re what possessing someone?” Rose questioned, trying to sound casual even if she was extremely angry at the notion.  
  
“Oh don’t worry,” the Silver Lord chuckled. “Once they are suppressed their brain pattern sort of fades away. I suppose they die, but they aren’t aware of what I’m doing for long. I liked the irony of his research expertise.”   
  
“You’re hideous,” Rose growled into the phone.  
  
“Occasionally Rose,” the Silver Lord replied without any concern. “So have you figured out what I’ve done?”  
  
“You’ve eaten some of their time,” Rose hissed. “You are part Chronovore after all.”  
  
“Indeed, but not enough to remove them from the timeline like most Chronovores do as I’m sure you remember. No, I drained them based on what I needed to survive each day, sometimes a bit more and sometimes a bit less.”  
  
Rose glanced over at Jack. He was looking between her and road but kept driving. “So what do you want Silver Lord.”  
  
“Well I want you dead,” the Silver Lord answered simply. “I considered a gun, but that seemed too inelegant. Not to mention I’m certain that the Guardians would find a way to bring you back so I needed to find something more creative and permanent.”  
  
“Explain,” Rose said sharply.  
  
“Those people are in temporal shock from the rapid drain of their temporal energies. I’ve aged them and they will never wake up unless you save them,” the Silver Lord informed her in a calm and smooth voice that caused Rose to shiver. “I did it to attract your attention. They will die because you made me your enemy. The box is very special and will drain your life force, your time, into itself. If the box is then opened near my victims some of their time will be returned and they will wake up. The box will only accept your life energy and no one else’s. So will you save them or write this off as a failure, it is your choice and I look forward to it.”  
  
The line went dead and Rose slowly took the phone away from her ear. She looked down at the mobile and tightened her fingers around it. Suddenly Jack turned a quick right and Rose looked out the window to see they were in a warehouse district. Jack drove up to a warehouse and stopped the SUV in front of it.  
  
“Wait here,” he ordered before climbing out.  Quickly he walked over to a door and pulled it open before returning to the jeep. They pulled inside the cold and dark building and he manoeuvred the vehicle so the front was facing the open doorway. Jack parked them a ways back, turned the heat up and flicked on the interior light.  
  
“Alright,” Jack announced. “We’ll be alright here for a bit.”  
  
“He said I could save them,” Rose whispered as she pulled out the box. “Is that what you meant about him meaning to kill me?”  
  
“Yes,” Jack answered honestly. “This is a trap for you. He knows enough about you to know that you’ll try to help these people.”  
  
“He said the box will only take my life force,” Rose told Jack.  
  
Jack reached over and pulled the box out of her stiff fingers. He examined it for a moment before he opened it carefully. Then he lowered one finger into the box and touched the sides, but nothing happened.  
  
“Well that answers one question,” Jack intoned as he carefully closed the box.  
  
Rose slumped back in her seat and looked over at the box in Jack’s hand. “What can I do?” she asked in a quiet voice. “I don’t want to…” she trailed off for a moment before saying, “I don’t want to leave them like that.”  
  
“He knows that,” Jack pointed out in a dark voice. “In fact, he’s counting on it.”  
  
Rose thumped her head against the cushioned headrest of her seat and then shook her head. “Damn the Silver Lord,” she hissed.  
  
“If you surrender your life energy then the Guardians may not be able to bring you back,” Jack remarked thoughtfully as he turned the box over in his hands. “Bringing someone back from the dead is hard, but doable. Life is a just a spark of matter, but the body still needs to have certain energies left in it. Enough of a brain left that the original person is still there.”  
  
“And this will drain all of that,” Rose questioned. “So I couldn’t be brought back.”  
  
“Maybe,” Jack answered carefully. “I’m sure he’d do his best to make sure that you couldn’t just be brought back.”  
  
“Or maybe it’s a bluff,” Rose suggested as she took the box out of Jack’s hand, but she didn’t open it. “Maybe he figures I won’t do it.”  
  
“Or maybe he figures that you’ll believe that and let it kill you,” Jack countered with a frown. “Worse yet is what he’s done has attracted attention. That man who tried to kill you for the box was a former Time Agent, like me.”  
  
“What’s a Time Agent?” Rose asked glancing at the vortex manipulator.  
  
“Time Agents worked for the Time Agency which will exist from the 49th century to the 52nd century. We’d travel in time to ensure certain events played out according to history, occasionally change small things and recover historical treasures.” Jack shook his head and added, “the problem was that a lot of agents went rogue over the years and started causing trouble. That one I killed had a history of selling technology out of its time and going after strange things.” Jack looked over at Rose and told her, “Believe me he would have killed you.”  
  
“I wonder if the Silver lord meant for that to happen?” Rose asked herself.  
  
“Meddling with time can cause ripples to those with the technology to watch for it,” Jack snorted. “The TARDIS pays a lot more attention to such things than the Doctor.”  
  
“So that’s how she figures out where to go,” Rose suggested with a laugh and a smile. They both chuckled, but Rose sighed a moment later. “What can I do Jack?”  
  
He tapped the steering wheel and then glanced back over at Rose. “I’ve got an idea, something you said when you asked me to come.”  
  
“What did I say?” Rose questioned, but Jack just smiled.  
  
“Timelines,” he reminded her with a wink. “Can’t know too much in advance.” Jack shifted the SUV into drive and looked over at Rose. “Back to Torchwood, I think.”  
  
“Back to….” Rose blinked at him. “Are you crazy! Those people can’t get ahold of this or your vortex manipulator.”   
  
“Do you trust me?” Jack asked as he drove the jeep towards the warehouse entrance.  
  
Rose looked over at him as he stopped the vehicle right outside their hiding place. Jack met her gaze without any hesitation. Slowly Rose nodded and said, “Yes I trust you.”


	15. Christmas Time: Christmas Kisses

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Fifteen: Christmas Time: Christmas Kisses  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
………………………….  
  
Jack parked Rose’s SVU a few blocks away from Torchwood and looked up at the building with a strange gaze. Rose was under the impression that Jack was seeing something that she wasn’t, but she looked up at the skyscraper anyway. It was a nice design she supposed, hiding the huge near warehouse rooms that she had seen and blended into London as just another office building. Then again, she thought, the current UK UNIT HQ was hidden under the Tower of London.  
  
“Odd place to build something that tall,” Rose remarked lightly.  
  
“They had a reason,” Jack declared calmly in reply, but Rose thought she heard an undercurrent of anger. “Alright,” Jack said turning to her with his charming smile back in place. “Shall we?”  
  
“What’s your plan?” Rose questioned as she unbuckled her seatbelt and put her hand on the door. “You do have a plan right?”  
  
“Most of one,” Jack admitted with a shrug and a grin. “But don’t worry I won’t let anything happen to you,” he promised with a much more serious expression.  
  
“You worry a lot,” Rose observed in a teasing tone, trying to sound calm and relaxed.  
  
“I know you,” Jack answered with a tiny smile tugging at his lips. “Come on then,” he said as he climbed out of the driver’s side. Rose nodded and climbed out, walking over to join him.  
  
“So,” she asked, “Plan?”  
  
Jack pulled back the cuff of the long dark coat he wore to reveal his vortex manipulator. Rose remained silent as Jack pressed in a series of numbers that meant nothing to Rose, but greatly concerned Jack. She supposed after a moment of watching that they were the location and time programming code for the device, to tell it when and where to go.  
  
Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Rose stepped forward and examine the vortex manipulator a little more closely. Jack’s was mounted in what appeared to be a leather case attached to a wrist strap. It looked to be the same one that the Doctor had used to get to the fake funeral. After another moment he seemed pleased with the calculations and turned to look down at Rose.  
  
“That took a bit longer than usual,” he announced cheerfully. “But I had to make sure of the landing point.” Jack held out his hand to her. “Shall we?”  
  
“I’m not too fond of vortex travel without a capsule,” Rose observed uneasily.  
  
Jack sighed dramatically, “I know it’s not the TARDIS, but it works in a pinch.”  
  
“Just as long as you admit that,” Rose replied taking the offered hand.   
  
Jack pulled her against him and wrapped a hand around her waist. Remembering that last time she used one of these things, Rose wrapped an arm around Jack’s back and one around his neck. Realising the closeness of the position, Rose blushed lightly and ignored Jack’s chuckle.  
  
“Here we go,” Jack cheered before he pressed the button with the hand wrapped around Rose’s waist.  
  
The world disintegrated around them in strange colours as they shifted from the usual plane of existence into the time-space vortex. The air was forced from Rose’s lungs at the sudden chill over her body, but it was over just as quickly as it started. Objects became to form around them, but it was too dark for Rose to see much of it. Jack’s grip on her loosened and she stepped back only to hit a wall. It was extremely dark and her hand went into her pocket for her torch. Light suddenly flooded the small space and Rose saw Jack’s hand at the cord of a light bulb fixture. She blinked at the light and gave her eyes a moment.   
  
“A broom closet,” Rose observed softly as she looked around. Sure enough, they were a few mops, a bucket and a shelf full of other cleaning items next to Jack.   
  
“No cameras in here,” Jack pointed out in a pleased tone before winking at Rose. “I always knew I’d get you in a broom closet one day.”  
  
“Keep dreaming Captain,” Rose replied with a smirk. “So we’re inside Torchwood, now what?”  
  
“According to the layout I have, there is a camera right next to us.” Jack held out his hand and shifted towards the door. “Sonic pen please.”  
  
Rose didn’t hesitate to pull out the device and hand it to Jack. As he disabled the camera after opening the door a tiny bit Rose realised that she hadn’t hesitated. She pushed the realisation away and waited until Jack opened the door the rest of the way. He moved over to a wall and used the sonic pen to turn off another camera. Nodding to himself, he handed the pen back to Rose.  
  
“Are they disabled?” Rose asked. “Won’t the guards notice?”  
  
“Setting 14b,” Jack explained. “The camera is looping. It won’t last long, but it will give us a chance to get past. Let’s go,” Jack said in a low tone. Rose noted that he’d tensed up slightly and had a serious and calculating expression on his face. She nodded in agreement but didn’t say anything to disturb the silence.  
  
They crept through the still hallways until they reached a section that Rose recognized from earlier. Jack pulled out the pen again and used it on one last camera before he walked across the hallway to the door of the medical wing. He glanced through the small windows before looking back and gesturing for her.  
  
“Aren’t there any staff?” Rose whispered as she joined him and looked into the room.  
  
“Probably just one or two in a side room,” Jack answered softly. “Pen.” Rose handed him the pen again and watched in silence as he looped the two cameras in the coma patient room. “We don’t have long,” Jack warned her.   
  
The door to the medical wing opened silently and they walked inside. Rose could hear two voices speaking around a corner. Jack crept forward and carefully looked around the corner. Sure enough, it was a small, but comfortable break room. He carefully closed the door and used the sonic pen to lock it without either of the people inside noticing.   
  
Tossing the pen to Rose, Jack rejoined her in the centre of the room. “Okay, now to save these people.”  
  
Rose pulled out the box and held it out for Jack. “How do we do this without the box?”  
  
“We don’t,” Jack answered as he looked at the patients. “We use it exactly as the Silver Lord intended. You put your fingers in there and the energy is transferred to these people.”  
  
 “That’s your plan?!” Rose hissed, barely remembering the nearby medical staff.  
  
“Let me finish,” Jack cut in quickly. “You’ve seen my little healing trick.”  
  
“Yeah,” Rose said glancing to the shoulder that had healed itself. “So?”  
  
“It’s not as simple as my body just healing itself. I was infused with life energy a few years back and I can share it with other people so it becomes their life energy.”  
  
“So you can… recharge my life force?” Rose questioned weakly. “Are you serious?”  
  
“Yes,” Jack confirmed with a nod and a little mischievous smile. “Trust me?” He asked once again. Rose looked down at the little box in her hands and then around the room. The only sounds were the medical machines monitoring the patients and the muffled voices in the next room. “I promise you’ll be alright,” Jack assured her warmly. “We’ll take care of this and get you back to your Mum to enjoy Christmas day.”  
  
“If this doesn’t work….”  
  
“If I had any doubts Rose we wouldn’t even be trying this,” Jack told her seriously. “I’ll be honest, your life means more to me than saving these people.”  
  
Rose stared at him for a long moment before dropping her eyes to the box. Jack gave her a moment and started programming something else into his vortex manipulator. The box’s words were still clear to her with the translator, but Rose could feel the sinister tone in them. She looked up from the box and over at one of the beds. She didn’t know these people, but…  
  
“Okay,” Rose agreed. “If you’re sure. I’ll trust you.”  
  
“That’s the Rose I know,” Jack cheered as he put his hand under the box to hold it steady. “Just keep your fingers inside of it.  
  
Rose nodded and opened the lid. Her hands shook, but Jack didn’t mention it. “How does this transfer work then?” Rose asked as her fingers hovered over the ridge of the box.  
  
“Like this,” Jack said just before he leaned forward to kiss her.  
  
Rose nearly pulled away in shock, but then felt the strange pulsing at her lips. It felt almost like a static charge, but not as strong. She felt Jack’s free hand gently push her fingers into the box. The inside of the box became to glow, drawing golden light from Rose’s body through her fingers. The letters on the sides became to glow and pulse with the energy.   
  
Jack gently released Rose’s fingers and brought his hand to the back of her head to hold her gently in the embrace. She wasn’t responding at all to the kiss. Caught between the energy loss and the energy gain of the Silver Lord’s trap box and his unique ability she was wavering on her feet. Sensing Rose’s weakness, Jack slowly knelt, lowering them to sit on the floor. His knee kept Rose elevated off the ground as he leaned over to keep kissing her. Opening an eye, Jack looked at the box which was still cradled in his hand and noted the glow in the characters. Rose’s hand was nearly white and looked aged and withered. Jack was about to pull her hand loose when a flash of light forced him to close his eyes.  
  
The box shimmered brightly before exploding in a shower of light. The physical structure of the box vanished in a cloud of golden particles. They flowed through the air in the room, rushing towards the coma patients. In the staff room there were sudden cries and banging on the metal door as the machines around the room began beeping and setting off alarms. Jack released Rose’s lips and studied her. She looked exhausted but managed to open her eyes and look up at him. The brown in them was dull and off colour causing Jack to frown.  
  
“Let’s try this again,” he breathed, ignoring the sounds of the patients waking up in a panic. He leaned down and gently pressed his lips to hers.  
  
Rose felt the kiss this time and the gentle flow of energy didn’t seem as intense or overwhelming. The chill in her body faded and she was able to move her arm away from the tile floor where the box had been to grip Jack’s shoulder. At her touch, Jack broke the kiss and looked down at her again.  
  
“Much better,” he said with a smile.  
  
“Did it work?” Rose asked in a slightly hoarse voice.  
  
“Yeah it did gorgeously,” Jack replied with a grin.   
  
Rose paused, she could hear the people in the room starting to stir and the machines going crazy. She shifted to stand up, but Jack slipped his hands under her knees and around her back and stood up. Rose squeaked and wrapped her arms around Jack’s neck.   
  
“Guards are coming,” Jack hissed as he looked out the window in the door. “Time to go.”  
  
He shifted Rose just enough to press the button on his vortex manipulator. Rose buried her face in his neck as the world fell away around them, feeling too tired and weak to watch the journey through the vortex. She was certain it would make her sick to her stomach.   
  
The world rematerialized and they were back at her waiting vehicle. With some careful movement, Jack set Rose in the passenger seat. She managed to buckle herself in and looked back towards the Torchwood building as lights throughout the building started to turn on. Jack climbed in next to her and started the vehicle. He looked over at her and gave her a soft smile.  
  
“Let’s get you home,” he said with obvious relief in his voice.  
  
“I’m alright,” Rose promised him as she sat up a little straighter. “I can feel my legs again.”  
  
“It’ll come back fast,” Jack agreed with a nod. “I didn’t know it would affect you that much.”  
  
“You are talking about the box, right?” Rose asked with a teasing smile.  
  
Jack laughed and took a right to get them away from Torchwood. “No I was talking about the kiss,” he admitted.  
  
“Well, you definitely give fairytales some legitimacy.” Rose observed before looking over at Jack, “You haven’t spent time with the Grimm Brothers have you?”  
  
“You should read the original stories sometime,” Jack laughed. “Might find out some new things about the Big Bad Wolf.”  
  
Rose glared at him and huffed, “Now you’re just teasing me.”  
  
“That I am,” Jack replied softly. “Close your eyes Rose and try to get some rest.”  
  
“When do I meet you for the first time?” Rose asked.  
  
“I can’t tell you that,” Jack told her warmly. “Timelines and all that.”  
  
“Which Doctor?” Rose asked. “Can you tell me that at least?”  
  
“Big eyes, blue eyes and leather coat,” Jack answered with a smile.   
  
“What happened to the box?” Rose asked as she glanced at Jack to see if he had it.  
  
“It’s hard to explain,” Jack groaned lightly. “It wasn’t a box of metal or something like that. Once it had enough energy to activate the box itself became a cloud of particles, each carrying temporal energy for the purpose of delivering it to the humans.”  
  
“So there’s no risk of Torchwood getting it,” Rose verified.  
  
“Nope,” Jack promised. “And while I’m sure they will suspect that you had something to do with this, there is no evidence that you were there.”  
  
“Good,” Rose sighed in relief. “I really don’t like Hartman.”  
  
“Smart girl,” Jack agreed with a nod.  
  
They fell into a comfortable silence as Rose leaned back in the seat. She stretched and flexed her fingers. The joints felt stiff, but her skin looked healthy and she felt fine if tired. Jack seemed to know the way to Bannerman road without any prompting from her and Rose was content to watch her mysterious future friend and look out the window.   
  
The last of the tension flowed out of Rose’s shoulders as the turn onto Bannerman Road appeared in front of them. Turning to Jack she smiled and said, “You really didn’t have to drive me home you know.”  
  
“He’d kill me if I didn’t make sure you got home safe,” Jack replied with a smile of his own. Rose didn’t have to ask who he was.  
  
“From what I’ve seen today you can’t be killed,” Rose quipped.  
  
“If there is one being in the universe who could figure out how to kill it, it’s the Doctor,” Jack replied with an amused tone that told Rose he really wasn’t concerned about it. “Besides,” Jack informed her, “I’m a gentleman.”  
  
“Right,” Rose said seriously. “A perfect gentlemen you.”  
  
Jack grinned at her statement and Rose couldn’t help but smile in return. A comfortable silence took over as Jack drove straight to her home and parked her SUV in the drive.   
  
“Home sweet home,” Jack announced before looking down at the clock. “And you’ve got enough time to get a good night’s sleep and pass it off as a Christmas Day late morning. You’ll feel back to normal after a few hours of sleep.”   
  
Jack turned off the SUV and handed Rose her keys before climbing out. She followed suit and quietly shut the door of the vehicle. Looking over at the house Rose noted that the lights were off inside, but she could smell the alcohol on the air. The front porch light was on, giving Rose enough light to see. An examination of the front garden revealed decorations strewn in the bushes and few discarded plastic glasses on the steps.  
  
“Jackie does know how to throw a party,” Jack chuckled coming up beside Rose. “Shall we?”  
  
“What you need to walk me to the front door?” Rose questioned, raising an eyebrow. “My legs are fine now.”  
  
“I’m a gentleman,” Jack repeated as he held out his arm to her.  
  
Rose chuckled and shook her head, but accepted his arm and allowed him to walk her up to the front door. Jack waited while Rose unlocked the front door and smiled when she turned back to him.  
  
“Thank you,” Rose told him brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “If you hadn’t been here….” Rose trailed off and gave a nervous shrug. “Well, I might have done it anyway and died.”  
  
“That’s why I came,” Jack replied gently. “Sometimes you’ve got to be protected from your own compassion.”  
  
“Is that a bad thing?” Rose asked softly.  
  
“No,” Jack assured with a warm smile. “Not at all. Never let that change, Rose Tyler. The Doctor and I have gotten pretty good at managing that trait of yours.”  
  
“Managing?” Rose questioned in a sweet voice. “I’m sure you meant that as a compliment Jack Harkness and it just came out wrong.”  
  
Jack laughed a warm and low laugh that made Rose smile. Jack’s eyes glanced above her head and he grinned widely, but before Rose could look to see what had caught his attention Jack said, “Well I should be saying good night.”  
  
“Good night Jack,” Rose told him, returning her attention to him.  
  
There was no warning before Jack pulled her close and kissed her firmly on the lips. Rose gasped into the kiss in surprise and felt her body being dipped back in Jack’s arms. The stray realisation that there had been mistletoe above the door went through her mind, but a bit too late.   
  
A moment later she was set back on her feet and Jack released her lips. He stepped back with a grin as Rose gathered her senses. “I can’t believe you did that,” Rose gasped at Jack. “You can’t pass that kiss off as saving my life.”  
  
“Mistletoe,” Jack countered simply pointing above her head. “One tradition that I love.”  
  
“You know I’m with the Doctor,” Rose pointed out, but Jack’s relaxed posture and smile made it impossible for her to actually feel any anger.  
  
“Yes I do,” Jack agreed with a nod. “And when he comes by to see you later for Christmas be sure to tell him about this. He’s got that possessive side to him.” Jack’s grin became wider. “You can thank me later.”  
  
Rose flushed and looked anywhere but Jack’s face. He chuckled and she felt him step closer again. There was a soft brush of lips against her forehead and she felt something get slipped into her pocket.  
  
“That’s the number for my superphone,” Jack told her. “I have yours and I’ll be in touch.”  
  
Rose forced herself to look up at Jack, shrugging off her embarrassment. “Thanks again,” she said. Rose lifted herself up on her toes and kissed Jack’s cheek before turning to walk inside. She paused in the doorway and looked back at him. “Happy Christmas Jack.”  
  
“Happy Christmas Rose,” Jack returned with a grin. “I better go,” he said. “I’m famished and you’re expecting me for Christmas dinner.”  
  
“Am I now?” Rose asked. “Hopefully I hid all the mistletoe.”  
  
“You wouldn’t do that to me,” Jack replied with a grin.  
  
They both stood there another moment as Jack studied her. “Take care Rose Tyler,” he finally said. “I’ll see you down the timeline.”  
  
He turned and walked out the drive as he rolled up his coat sleeve. Rose watched as Jack fiddled with the vortex manipulator and then vanished in a blue swirling light. Looking up at the mistletoe Rose shook her head, trying to decide just how to tell the Doctor about this. The thought was amusing and with a smile on her face she closed the door and made her way up to bed. Happy Christmas indeed.


	16. Christmas Time: A Good Night

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Sixteen: Christmas Time: A Good Night  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
………………………  
  
Christmas Day went as expected as far as Rose was concerned. When she finally pulled herself out of bed Jackie and Rita Anne were already downstairs and cleaning up the carnage. Her mother was sipping water as she straightened up the house and thankfully her hangover didn’t seem to be very bad. Rose busied herself in the kitchen getting the dinner preparations started.   
  
It was quite different from last Christmas, Rose reflected as she placed the turkey into the oven. Last year she’d been so caught up with the mysterious brooch that she hadn’t helped much with the cooking. Rose chuckled to herself, this year’s crisis had occurred mostly on Christmas Eve. Once the turkey was in the oven Rose excused herself to rush over to the Chesterton-Smith house for their little gift exchange. Barbara and Ian were in town to celebrate Christmas with their son, daughter-in-law and grandchild, doting over Luke. Rose could already tell that the boy was going to make out like a bandit due to his grandparents. The two hours she spent with them were pleasant, but Rose decided against telling them about the events at Torchwood. She didn’t quite know how to describe or explain Jack or his weird ability with living energy. Plus Torchwood was dangerous and she wasn’t in a hurry to pull anyone else into that mess.  
  
Mickey showed up a little afternoon to see his grandmother and join in the family activities. As usual, Rita Anne made several not thinly veiled suggestions that Rose and Mickey date. When Mickey suggested that she was seeing someone Jackie had turned her full attention to her daughter. Rose had just enough time to glare at the smirking Mickey before assuring her mother that she wasn’t hiding a boyfriend in Cambridge. It wasn’t completely a lie since the Doctor definitely didn’t live in Cambridge. Her mother gave her a suspicious look and Mickey utterly failed to hide his smirk. Dinner was a loud affair with crackers and rapid conversation among the four of them despite the fact that they often saw each other. Rose relaxed and enjoyed the calm, even though she was half waiting for a phone call from Torchwood or UNIT.  
  
Gifts were a simple affair, despite the improvement in the Tyler’s fortunes Jackie still retained her frugal side. Rose received several new shirts that Jackie thought would complement her and a selection of art supplies from Mickey. Rita Anne was pleased with her new electronic reader once Mickey promised to teach her how to use it.   
  
The evening was almost too quiet and calm for Rose. She knew that she should be grateful for it, but after the extreme events of Christmas Even and the early hours of the morning, the day didn’t feel complete. Mickey departed in the late evening with some of the leftovers and a promise to take Rita Anne out for Boxing Day. The elderly woman had gone upstairs to rest and Jackie was in front of the telly watching a Christmas special. Her laughter echoed into the kitchen and made Rose smile as she finished the last of the cleanup.   
  
Rose had just finished the last of the dishes and packing up the leftovers when she heard a familiar wheezing noise. Looking out the back window into the garden Rose watched with a smile as the TARDIS materialised beside her mum’s raised beds. She grabbed the small notepad Jackie kept in the kitchen and wrote a message to her Mum saying she’d gone to visit friends and would be home later. Rose used a magnet to put the note on the fridge where her Mum would see it and headed for the back door.    
  
She slipped up to her room to grab her coat, mobile, sonic pen and the gift she’d made for the Doctor this year. After months of keeping her eyes open for something for him, Rose had finally given up and figured out something to make. Rushing back downstairs, Rose glanced into the living room to verify that her mother was still enthralled with her show. Satisfied that all was well Rose slipped out the door out to the garden and approached the TARDIS. The door opened right in front of her and she was greeted with the smiling face of her brown-eyed Doctor.  
  
“Happy Christmas,” Rose greeted with a warm smile.  
  
“Happy Christmas,” the Doctor returned with a bright grin of his own. He stepped to the side to let Rose enter the warm TARDIS before leaning down to kiss her.  
  
Rose smiled against his lips and deepened her kiss, wrapping her arms around the Doctor. His presence was warm and comforting. Her Christmas now felt complete. When they parted she smiled up at him, arms still wrapped around him and just basking in his presence.   
  
“Hello Doctor,” she breathed sweetly.  
  
“Hello Rose,” he replied with a grin. “How was Christmas with your Mum?”  
  
“Good,” Rose answered with a nod. “I just wish you could join us,” she added with a slight sigh. “But I know that’s not your thing.”  
  
“No actually I’ve done Christmas with Jackie,” the Doctor remarked mostly to himself. “Took a while, but she did figure out that she wasn’t going to get rid of me.” The Doctor shook his head and quietly finished, “I haven’t gone around to see her recently…..” the Doctor sighed, “I probably should.”  
  
“Mum’s still around when I disappear?” Rose questioned before shaking her own head. “I should have assumed that. Is she okay?”  
  
“She’s fine,” the Doctor assured her quickly. “Just angry with me for not being able to tell her what happened. At least the last time I saw her I was able to promise her that you would be back, but she doesn’t really understand timelines enough to get that.”  
  
“Try watching Back to the Future with her,” Rose muttered. “If there is one movie that should make it easy it’s that one.”  
  
“Well we are talking Jackie,” the Doctor muttered with a smile that faded when Rose gave him a look. “Uh, why are we even talking about your mother when we haven’t seen each other in a while?”  
  
Rose chuckled and leaned up to kiss him again. “I have no idea,” she breathed when she broke the kiss.   
  
The Doctor grabbed her hand and pulled her up the console with a delighted smile on his face. “Where’s Donna?” Rose asked as she glanced around for the ginger woman.  
  
“Christmas with her family,” the Doctor told her. “She’s not big on it, but I dropped her off for a few days visit.”  
  
“Do you like the Nobles?” Rose questioned curiously.  
  
“Well Sylvia, her Mum, doesn’t like me. I have terrible luck with mothers,” the Doctor muttered before he brightened, “But Wilfred is a good sort, he’s Donna’s grandfather and he gets it.” Rose smiled at the warmth in the Doctor’s voice. “He and Donna are probably driving Sylvia spare right now.”  
  
Rose noted the warmth in the Doctor’s voice when he spoke of Wilfred. “When I get back,” she said, “I want to meet this Wilfred.”  
  
“First thing I promise,” the Doctor promised with a smile before he shook his head, “Well second… no third thing I promise.” The Doctor gave her a sheepish smile. “I doubt I’ll want to let you leave the TARDIS that quickly.”  
  
Giggling, Rose joined the Doctor at the controls and kissed his cheek. “You can be surprisingly sweet sometimes,” Rose observed.   
  
“Speaking of sweet,” the Doctor said turning to her, “Give me your phone.”  
  
With a curious expression, Rose handed the Doctor her mobile and watched as he simply entered in some information. She’d honestly been expecting an upgrade or him tweaking the extra technology he’d put into it. Rose accepted back her phone with a curious expression and started scrolling through the contact list to find what the Doctor had added. Her eyes widened as she noted the new entry which simply read: Eve.  
  
“Eve?” Rose breathed as she looked up at the Doctor.  
  
“I gave her a supercharge mobile this morning,” the Doctor informed her with a smile. “Now you can call and talk with her.” The Doctor’s grin faded a little and he added, “I’m not sure why I didn’t think of that sooner.”  
  
“So I can just call her?” Rose asked him with wide eyes, “Just to talk?”  
  
“That’s the point,” the Doctor answered with a teasing smile. “I know she’s one of your best friends.”  
  
Rose grinned and grabbed the Doctor’s tie, pulling him into a passionate kiss. She slipped the phone back into her pocket so she could wrap her arms around him. “Thank you,” she breathed when she ended the kiss, enjoying the Doctor’s slightly stunned look for the moment it lasted.  
  
“You’re welcome,” the Doctor almost stuttered, looking wonderfully rumpled.  
  
“Speaking of friends….” Rose started before trailing off nervously.   
  
“What?” the Doctor questioned, a worried expression settling over his face.  
  
“I met Jack,” Rose told him quickly. “There was this thing with the Silver Lord and he showed up to save my life which involved kissing me so please don’t overact!” Rose finished in a rush, hoping he wouldn’t understand.   
  
However, the Doctor seemed to still understand every rushed word. His eyes darkened and he led Rose over to the chair, gesturing for her to sit down. He crossed his arms and looked at her as she shifted awkwardly in the chair.  
  
“Jack kissed you?!” the Doctor demanded. “I’ve been over this with him!”  
  
 “I did mention the Silver Lord didn’t I?” Rose questioned with a raised eyebrow. “Jack was just saving my life. Otherwise, I would have been drained of my life energy.”  
  
“Kissing is not the only way to transfer that energy,” the Doctor huffed. “Jack knows that I’ve just yet to see him use any other method.” He crossed his arms and looked thoughtful.  
  
Rose smiled at the Doctor’s reaction and teased, “You’re cute when you’re jealous.”  
  
“I am not jealous,” the Doctor defended making Rose giggle.  
  
She tilted her head and grinned at him. “I tell you that Silver Lord was active in London and Jack had to save my life and you focus on the kiss rather than asking about the Silver Lord was doing.”  
  
The Doctor blinked and looked a bit sheepish, but did a good job hiding his reaction. He leaned back against the console and looked at Rose. “You’re alright aren’t you?”  
  
“Course,” Rose replied.  
  
“Then tell me what happened,” the Doctor encouraged with a soft smile.  
  
“As you wish,” Rose replied before launching into the story of meeting Torchwood. The Doctor’s body tensed at the name and Rose made a note to ask once she was done with the story. She watched the changing emotions on the Doctor’s face and noticed the small smile when she mentioned Jack’s rescue. The smile vanished when she recounted Jack dropping her off at home.  
  
“Mistletoe,” the Doctor growled. “He’ll take any excuse won’t he?”  
  
“So is he your enemy?” Rose asked with a smile. “You’re sure acting like it.”  
  
“Jack is… Jack,” the Doctor responded with an aggravated shrug. “He defies any other label.”  
  
“I can see that,” Rose chuckled warmly. “He’s a good friend isn’t he?”  
  
“Yes,” the Doctor admitted with a shake of his head. “He just enjoys irritating me.”  
  
“So does Donna,” Rose countered with a cheeky grin.  
  
“Donna doesn’t try to sleep with you and me.” The Doctor said before shuddering at the thought.  
  
“Well,” Rose murmured as she stood up and stepped up to the Doctor. “I can’t speak for you obviously, but you’re the only one I’m interested in sleeping with.”  
  
The Doctor smiled and kissed her quickly. “I think my answer is obvious,” the Doctor replied softly. “After all, I need you in my life so much that I’m jumping timelines to see you.”  
  
Rose’s smile softened and she kissed his cheek before whispering, “I’ll be back Doctor. We know I’ll be back.”  
  
“Doesn’t mean I’m not going to worry in the meantime,” the Doctor breathed his long fingers slipping into her hair as he cradled her head.  
  
“That’s fair,” Rose conceded, tilting her face into his hand. “I worry about you too.”  
  
“Why?” the Doctor asked in a lighter tone. “I’m good at getting out of trouble.”  
  
“Yes and that’s why you’re on your tenth body,” Rose observed with a soft smirk.  
  
“Touché,” the Doctor chuckled. “Anyway Christmas trip,” the Doctor said cheerfully as he untangled his fingers from her hair and turned his attention to the console. “Have you finished reading the Simillarion?”   
  
“Last week,” Rose answered with a curious expression. “Why?”  
  
“Well I thought you might enjoy the Hobbit films, first one will be released in 2012.”  
  
“Hobbit films?” Rose questioned. “Plural? But the book only takes two hours to read and is so…. basic. How can there be multiple movies?”  
  
“It was written as a prequel to the Lord of the Rings,” the Doctor informed her with a growing smile. “They took events recorded in the Simillarion that were happening at the same time as the story in the Hobbit and put them in.”  
  
“Like the White Council?” Rose questioned with a touch of excitement. “Seriously?”  
  
“Yeah and Radagast the Brown even shows up,” the Doctor frowned slightly. “Mind you he seems very familiar to me for some reason.”  
  
“So how many movies?” Rose asked eagerly.  
  
“Three,” the Doctor answered with a smile. “In 2017 there is a special showing of them in London on Boxing Day.”  
  
“Sounds like fun,” Rose agreed with a grin.   
  
The Doctor turned to the console and adjusted a few of the controls. Rose stepped back to take hold of the rail as the TARDIS began to dematerialize with a shudder. She grinned as the Doctor half danced around the controls making his adjustments.  
  
“Here we are,” the Doctor announced as they came to a stop. “But we’ve got some time,” he remarked reaching for Rose.  
  
“Oh, time for what?” Rose asked innocently as he pulled her against him.  
  
“Time for me to reinforce you staying with me and not going off with Jack,” the Doctor told her in a low voice before he dipped Rose’s body and kissed her. Rose’s last fully coherent thought was that she’d have to thank Jack the next time she saw him.   
  
…………………………  
  
Next Time on Doctor Who: Time and the Trickster  
  
Brigadier Benton handed Rose the file and said, “The evidence suggest that your old enemy Apep has made it to Egypt. We don't know what he's up to, but Geneva agrees that you're the right person to go.”


	17. Land of the Pyramids: Return of a Snake

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Seventeen: Land of the Pyramids: Return of a Snake  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
………………………….  
  
Rose Marion Tyler was bored. It was early January, a bright new shining year: 2005 and she was bored waiting for the new term at Cambridge to start. She’d stayed in London for something to do and after Christmas had kept herself occupied for a whole week visiting some museums, going out with Shareen, Sharon and their university friends and helping Malcolm and Kate with an experiment at Unit HQ, but now as the month dragged on she was simply bored. She regretted not making arrangements to go someplace for the last bit of her holiday. She’d considered a trip to Greece but hadn’t followed through with the idea. Now she regretted it as she lounged on her bed shading a recent drawing of an Egyptian artefact she’d admired during her trip to the British Museum last week.  
  
Pausing in her work, Rose listened to the soft sounds of Rita Anne downstairs with some of the neighbours playing a card game. Her mother was at the flower shop with Gita and the house had a lazy atmosphere that she just couldn’t take anymore. Standing up from her bed, Rose pulled on her boots and reached for her bag and jacket. The ringing of her mobile broke the heavy silence of the house and Rose snapped up the phone eagerly.  
  
The number of UNIT HQ flashed on the screen; better yet it was the extension of Brigadier Benton’s office. “Hello this is Rose,” she answered quickly trying to hold back her excitement.   
  
“Tyler,” Benton greeted seriously. “I’m afraid that I need you to come in immediately. A priority situation has arisen.”  
  
“I’ll be right in. Are you sending a car or should I drive myself?” Rose questioned.  
  
“Yes, the car will be there in twenty minutes,” Benton said seriously. “And pack a bag, I’m afraid that you’ll be travelling for this one.”  
  
“Where?” Rose questioned, now very curious. UNIT hadn’t sent her anywhere since Horath Academy. “And how long?”  
  
“Just a couple days if all goes smoothly,” Benton answered. “You’re going to Egypt. I’ll explain more when you arrive.”  
  
The call ended as Benton hung up and Rose blinked at the phone. “Uh thanks,” she muttered with slight irritation at the Brigadier’s rather rushed order.   
  
She should have been irritated at not being asked if she wanted the job, but honestly, she was too excited to care. Rose tossed the phone into her bag and started rushing around the room to pack. She dug out her passport and double checked that she had her debit card, sonic pen and super phone. Pulling a bag out of her closet, Rose tossed a few days of clothes, including a pair of nicer slacks and a blouse, but wasn’t sure what else to bring.   
  
It wasn’t until Rose was downstairs with her bag to meet the car that the reality of the situation fully hit her. She pulled out her mobile and dialled her mother’s number, but there was no answer. Rose grimaced slightly as her call went to the answering machine, but managed to leave a quick message.  
  
“Hi Mum, uh this is going to sound a bit mad, but I’m going to Egypt. I’m sick of being bored so I’m on my way to the airport. I’ll swing home on my way back to school and call you once I get settled on my trip. Love you, bye.”  
  
Rose hung up with a sense of guilt but shoved it away. She was an adult after all and in theory, could run off to another country if she wanted to. Normally she’d have at least given her mother some warning, but Benton’s tone suggested a major problem. Rose scribbled a note just in case Jackie didn’t check her messages right away and left it on the entry table, pausing to wave at Rita Anne and the other older women she’d gathered in the living room. A moment later a black car pulled up in front of her house and Rose dashed outside and climbed in. She set her bag next to her and smiled when she saw that Ross was her driver.  
  
“Hello Ross,” Rose greeted.  
  
“Morning Rose,” Ross replied with a nod as he pulled the car away from the curb. “I hear you’re off to Egypt.”  
  
“Do you know anything beyond that?” Rose asked. “Benton didn’t say much to me over the phone.”  
  
“I afraid I don’t know anything beyond the basics,” Ross apologised as he turned off Bannerman Road. “There was a red alert this morning from Egypt and the UNIT division down there reported trouble to Geneva. What that has to do with you I’m not sure.”  
  
“So are we going to HQ?” Rose questioned.  
  
“No Rose,” Ross answered with a shake of his head. “My orders are to take you to the UNIT airstrip outside of London. The Bridger is on his way there and we’ll meet up with him on the way for your briefing.”  
  
“Anything else?” Rose asked.  
  
“That’s all I know,” Ross told her. He added a moment later,” Mickey says hello.”  
  
Rose chuckled and nodded, “Say hello for me when you return to HQ.”  
  
“Well do,” the private replied with a smile and a glance in the review mirror. “Rose?” Ross asked a moment later in a nervous voice. “May I ask you a question?”  
  
“You can ask,” Rose answered already guessing at the question.  
  
“Are you dating the Doctor?” Ross asked bluntly. “There’s a lot of talk at UNIT about the two of you.”  
  
“Nothing better to do?” Rose teased with a raised eyebrow. “That’s a sad idea.”  
  
“You didn’t answer,” Ross observed.  
  
“Nope,” Rose replied popping the p slightly. “I didn’t say I would.”  
  
Ross smiled a little and returned his focus to the road. Rose settled back into the seat and noted the different route that Ross was taking away from Bannerman Road. She supposed it said something interesting that Ross knew the area so well. The familiar streets became unfamiliar shortly before they pulled onto one of the freeways to take them from London. Everything rushed by and Rose nibbled on her lip absentmindedly as she tried to determine what kind of threat would cause UNIT to send her overseas. In fact Rose could only think of a handful of aliens that UNIT would feel the need to call her in for: the Silver Lord, Apep or Thane and with the location being Egypt Rose was already certain she knew who was the current alien threat.  
  
The car slowed down and pulled off of the road towards a small shop where Rose noted a UNIT vehicle was parked. They stopped next to the vehicle and Rose smiled as Brigadier Benton climbed out along with one of his aides. They walked over to her car and the aide opened the other passenger door. Benton slid into the car and nodded to Ross.  
  
“To the airstrip,” he said as his aide climbed into the front with Ross.  
  
“Yes sir,” Ross responded quickly with a nod. They pulled away from the pickup point quickly and smoothly.  
  
“Good morning,” Rose greeted Benton with a small smile that made the Brigadier’s serious expression soften a tiny bit.  
  
“Morning Tyler,” Benton greeted with a nod as he held a folder out to her. “I apologise for the lack of details this morning, some things are best not discussed over a civilian line.”  
  
Rose took the folder with a curious expression and opened it to see a long list of dates and names. The next page included photographs that turned Rose’s stomach slightly, shrivelled up humans in front of Egyptian looking objects. They looked like unwrapped mummies at the British Museum but had modern clothing.   
  
“Egypt UNIT has reported a strange series of deaths at the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo. So far they’ve been able to prevent the public from finding out about these deaths in the museum, but last night they were finally able to get a clue as to what is going on,” Benton informed her darkly. “An energy signal not from anything on Earth was transmitted from somewhere in the museum, just for thirty seconds, but it verified that these deaths are because of aliens.” Benton sighed and reached over to flip a page in the folder. The image in front of her was of a strange grave mask in the form of a serpent head that Rose recognised at once. “The evidence suggest that your old enemy Apep has made it to Egypt. We don't know what he's up to, but Geneva agrees that you're the right person to go,” Benton told her. “The trouble started when that artefact was brought out of storage and put on display last month. With Osirian abilities, we can’t be sure just what it can do?”  
  
“Has it be removed from display?” Rose questioned.  
  
“First thing this morning,” Benton answered with a nod. “Unfortunately the two men who helped move it dropped dead within five minutes of completing the task.”  
  
“Did their bodies…. You know?” Rose questioned, unsure of how to describe the strange effect.  
  
“Yes,” Benton confirmed with a tight frown. “UNIT Egypt is trying to get the museum closed, but there is resistance to it due to the value of tourism in Egypt.”  
  
“How long has the mask been in the museum’s possession?” Rose questioned.  
  
“That I don’t know,” Benton replied. “You’ll have to ask when you get there.”  
  
“Any suggestions about working with Egypt?” Rose asked. “I know their ancient mythology, but not their modern culture.”  
  
“You’ll be fine,” Benton assured her. “They know you are coming because you’ve been successful stopping this alien before. I doubt you’ll be out in the city much without their staff.”   
  
“Alright,” Rose announced with a nod before turning her attention back to the information. “I’ll see how I can help.”  
  
“Good girl,” Benton said with a small smile. “Kick his arse this time so he doesn’t come back.”  
  
“I’ll see what I can do about that,” Rose agreed with a small smile. “I getting tired of him too.”  
  
They arrived at the small UNIT airstrip soon after. Personally Rose was surprised they didn’t just have her fly commercial. It wasn’t like a university student going to Egypt for tourism would attract much attention, but she wasn’t going to argue with the comfortable private plane that she was quickly brought to. Rose sat down and buckled up as she kept reading the information Benton had been provided with from the Egypt division.  
  
The list of dates and names had been the dates and objects that people died around. Thus far Rose couldn’t see a pattern in the artefacts. Most of them were very old according to the file but didn’t come from the same dig sites or even the same pharaoh reign. Rose considered if it were possible that people didn’t die right away in front of the artefact affecting them, but if they might collapse after a few minutes by something else. She turned another page as the plane became take off. One the Egyptian staff had already tried to find a link between the victims and any items near their death.   
  
Almost all of the deaths had taken place near first dynasty items, the sort were most likely connected to the Osirians. This report also noted the various rules and regulations that those working with the objects had to follow such as not touching the objects directly and the packing materials that were often used. The condition of the artefacts believed to have a connection to the Osirians was listed with their conditions. Rose smiled at the good work and glanced to the top of the report: Professor Amina Chalthoum, she hoped she’d have a chance to talk with the professor about her observations.   
  
Rose finished the thick file within an hour. There were a lot of observations, theories and concerns, but no one had a definitive answer for what was happening or why. Rose’s best guess, looking at the photos of the bodies was that Apep was draining the life from these people like he had tried in New York. The question of why remained since he had failed to revive Sekhmet unless he had found another Osirian. Rose shook her head, no sense in going through what ifs until she could see the museum herself and get a feel for what was happening. Rose leaned back and closed her eyes, hoping that she wouldn’t get to Egypt and find that someone else had been killed.  
  
A touch on her shoulder woke Rose up and she turned to see the UNIT co-pilot smiling at her. “We’re about to land Miss,” he informed her pleasantly. “Please sit up.”  
  
Rose nodded and put her seat back into position and double checked her seat belt, stunned that she’d slept so long. A glance down at her watch told her that she hadn’t really been sleeping long, she supposed the plane just made better time. The UNIT co-pilot returned to the front of the plane and a few minutes later Rose felt the distinct dropping of the plane as they started descending into Cairo.  
  
Leaning over, Rose looked out the window as the last of the clouds vanished. Below her, she could see a large sprawling city with a river she knew to be the Nile splitting it in two. The building gleamed in the sunlight, a rich golden colour that turned white as the plane changed angels. Shifting slightly, Rose looked out beyond Cairo and gasped softly as the sudden transition to desert that she could see in the distance. The pale tan colour stretched to the horizon and was unlike anything Rose had seen before. She briefly wondered if she’d be able to convince Benton to let her stay a few extra days to do some site seeing, probably if she took care of her expenses and getting herself home.  
  
The plane bumped slightly and Rose gripped the armrests as they changed direction, now moving in a slow arch towards the ground. Rose glanced out the window again to see that they were approaching the landing. She could now make out some minarets rising above surrounding buildings and a great variety of colour in the city. Rose swallowed to pop her ears and watched out the window calmly as the plane finally touched down. She waited a few minutes before she unbuckled her seat belt and picked up her bag. Moving over to the far side of the plane, Rose peeked out and spotted a vehicle with the UNIT emblem on it waiting nearby. The plane came to a full stop and the co-pilot came out from the cockpit.   
  
Standing up, Rose made sure she had her things and slipped the file into her bag. She waited impatiently while the stairs were lowered. Pulling on a pair of sunglasses Rose walked outside and bit back a gasp at the wave of heat that met her. It may have been winter in Egypt, but it felt like summer to Rose.   
  
A tall Egyptian man in a UNIT colonel uniform walked forward to meet her and gave her a quick salute. “Agent Tyler, welcome to Egypt. I am Colonel Mostapha, I am the division second-in-command.” The Colonel gestured and a beautiful woman with dark eyes, wearing a suit and a headscarf walked up to them. “This is Professor Amina Chalthoum, our division’s scientific advisor.”  
  
“A pleasure to meet you, Agent Tyler,” Professor Chalthoum greeted shaking Rose’s hand.  
  
“Just Rose if you please,” Rose replied with a smile. “It’s nice to meet you as well.”  
  
“Then please just call be Amina,” the professor replied with a warm smile.  
  
“Do you require rest Agent Tyler?” Colonel Mostapha questioned.  
  
“No thank you,” Rose answered quickly. “I’d rather go the museum at once and see if I can’t help you sort out what is going on.”  
  
“Do you believe it could be Apep?” Amina questioned.  
  
“Yes,” Rose said with a nod. “He tried something like this before in the U.S., but I’m not sure what exactly he is up to this time.”  
  
They climbed into the SUV that was waiting for them and sped off into Cairo. Under other circumstances, Rose would have been thrilled to be in the city, but as it was she was only mildly excited at the new experience and mostly worried about just what the old snake was up to.


	18. Land of the Pyramids: City of a Thousand Minarets

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Eighteen: Land of the Pyramids: City of a Thousand Minarets  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
…………………..  
  
Rose hadn’t been sure what she expected from Cairo. When she’d first been told she was going to Egypt she’d naturally thought of the pyramids and sand rather than a city itself. She’d been prepared for a city half way between its ancient history, local culture and modern engineering like La Paz had been with cars and donkeys side by side away from the major streets. Yet her first real look at Cairo was a packed six lane street full of cars all speeding along and turning off on various streets. Modern building, small green parks and lots of pedestrians lined the busy street on both sides. Their UNIT driver manoeuvred through the traffic smoothly and expertly while Rose found the tightly packed cars more intimidating than any driving conditions she’d ever been in. Mosques caught her eye on and then as they drove for the museum, their minarets reaching above many of the new modern buildings in the area creating a sense of reverence even from the architecture.  
  
“What do you think of my country thus far?” Amina asked from next to Rose.  
  
“It isn’t what I expected,” Rose admitted.  
  
“It rarely is what Westerners expect,” Amina chuckled with an amused smile. “They mean no offence by it, but I think they forget that modern life must continue even around our ancient treasures.”  
  
“Well it looks like that easier here than in Rome,” Rose observed as she turned to Amina, “There they can hardly build a thing without discover some new ruin that has to be protected.”  
  
Amina smiled and nodded her agreement at the statement and turned to Colonel Mostapha who was sitting across from them, studying Rose carefully. The Colonel nodded to Amina and cleared his throat to get Rose’s attention.  
  
“There are a few more details you should know,” Colonel Mostapha informed her. “UNIT’s presence in Egypt is very limited because of the politics in the region. UNIT because of its connection to the UN is seen as a very Western entity and is only tolerated in the area because our division is staffed with locals as much as possible.”  
  
“I see,” Rose said with a nod, wishing now that she knew a bit more about Egyptian government. “Is that likely to be a problem with me being here?”  
  
“Hopefully not,” Colonel Mostapha answered though he sounded a little worried. “It was necessary to bring you here for your experience in dealing with Apep. If nothing else he hates you and may stop hiding when he discovers you here.”  
  
“Ah so I’m both here to advise and as bait,” Rose observed with a raised eyebrow.  
  
“I mean no offence,” Colonel Mostapha replied firmly. “But UNIT activities in Egypt are much more independent of our local government than England’s are.” The Colonel shifted a little uncomfortably, “President Mubarak is not a good man and if he knew about the technology that UNIT comes into contact with he would no doubt try and use it.”  
  
“Which is why it is so critical of our role in Egypt that we quickly clean up any alien messes and get the technology moved out of the area,” Amina said. “We cannot have these deaths become interesting to Mubarak’s government.”  
  
“You think he’d abuse it?” Rose questioned.  
  
“The man’s government already uses routine torture, illegal detention and military courts to ensure it gets its way,” Amina told her with a dark look. “The UN doesn’t want to risk leaving alien activity in Egypt to the local government, but it also doesn’t want to risk delivering something dangerous into the current leadership’s hands.”  
  
“I understand,” Rose confirmed with a nod. “I’ll do what I can to get this over with as soon as possible.”  
  
“Good,” Amina said looking down at her watch, “We’ll be at the museum a bit before closing. I suggest you go in as a tourist and start learning the layout and the displays. Once they close at seven we’ll get something to eat while the staff clears out and I’ll take you inside to look at the artefacts in question.”  
  
“Your bag will be taken to a nearby hotel,” Colonel Mostapha informed her before reaching into his pocket. He pulled out an envelope and handed it to Rose. “This is the local currency, staff at the museum speak English to Westerns so you shouldn’t need your translator.”  
  
“I keep it on at all times just in case, but that’s good news,” Rose answered. “I’ll attract less attention that way.” She slipped the money into her shoulder bag in a back pocket with her passport to keep it safe. Pulling out her mobile Rose asked, “Can I get numbers to contact the two of you in case something changes?”  
  
They finished entering mobile numbers and verifying a meeting place just as the SUV pulled out in a side street. Amina informed Rose that they were two blocks from the museum. Rose looked down at her watch, it was just past 17.00 or 5 as the Egyptians seemed to use American time. She quickly jumped out of the SUV, leaving her bag behind as per the Colonel’s instructions and started moving towards the museum.   
  
The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities was a large red brick building with a plaza area in front of it. Around it was a mix of older building and new modern buildings, many with shops for tourists in the lower levels. As she entered the area, Rose saw many tourists with their cameras, maps and guidebooks out working their way through the area, but not many were heading into the museum at this time. Sweeping past them, Rose climbed the white stairs to the large open double doors and stepped inside. After paying her admission and purchasing an audio guide Rose walked into the grand gallery. It reminded for of the Egyptian hall in the British museum with large stone statues of the pharaohs and gods lining the walls. She pulled out her map and started building a mental version as she walked through the gallery. Between the statues were sarcophagi, many slightly propped open. Rose’s eyes swept the crowd, looking to see if anyone was watching her or seemed to recognise her.  
  
Rose moved through the rooms at a reasonable pace, trying to look like a late arrival trying to see everything, but also trying to take note of anything she recognised or that reminded her of Apep. A few artefacts had the now familiar image of a cat, the goddess Baset cutting the head off of a snake, Apep. It was an image that Rose had become familiar with early in her research, but so far she had no idea where the myth came from. Apep had been trapped on Earth by the other Osirans, possibly even before Sutekh had since Set’s mythology later absorbed Apep’s position as the God of Evil. A brief thought of which one was more powerful went through Rose’s mind, but she had to conclude that Sutekh had been since he’d managed to take over the Doctor’s mind for a time. Apep’s mental powers seemed very limited in comparison. She shook off the thought, reminding herself to be grateful for that and moved on to the next room.  
  
Rose had just enough time to see the Tutankhamun rooms before the museum closed and she went back to work. She smiled as she followed the crowd down the stairs and into the grand gallery. Guards were waiting impatiently as tourists tried to glimpse a few more items, but Rose stepped outside and noted with relief that the temperature had dropped a great deal after sunset. She had just taken a few steps when she had the sense that she was being watched. For a moment Rose debated turning around and altering her possible watcher, but decided to risk it. She turned and looked back up at the museum building in time to see an Egyptian face vanish from a window. It had been male, but the distance and the darkness of the night meant she could see nothing else. Frowning to herself, Rose turned and began the walk back to her drop off point.   
  
Amina was waiting for Rose where they had dropped her off and smiled pleasantly as Rose walked over to her. “Anything interesting?” Amina asked.  
  
“Well I got to see the Tutankhamun mask and someone was watching me as I left,” Rose answered calmly. “It may have been Apep or it might have been random. I’m not sure.” Rose shifted uncomfortably. “While I was in the museum I was thinking about how Apep compares to the stories I heard about another one of his people.”  
  
“How so?” Amina questioned with a frown. “We know very little about these Osirans, only what you have told UNIT.”  
  
“Well I’ve only ever seen Apep use his telepathic powers once and that was on the worker robots. Colonel Adams wasn’t under mind control, he helped Apep willingly although…”  
  
“Although?” Amina pressed in a low voice stepping closer to Rose, “You look worried.”  
  
“Apep’s mind was somehow separated from his body until Adams restored him to his body. It just occurred to me that maybe that damaged his mental powers for a time. Adams even said back then at Apep was weak.”  
  
“It could explain why he could only recently use the service robots and previously used humans” Amina proposed.  
  
“Maybe, at first I assumed that it was because he didn’t have any service robots.” Rose murmured, but she shook her head. “Well I’ll just be careful in case he is regaining more of his mental abilities.”   
  
Amina now looked a bit more worried which made Rose feel bad, but once the idea had popped into her head she couldn’t shake it. And surely it was better to be overly cautious than risk letting Apep achieve whatever his purpose was. Rose’s left hand went to her sword bracelet and rubbed the metal absentmindedly as Amina led her over to a nearby restaurant.   
  
Rose wasn’t feeling very hungry as her mind kept going over her new concerns about Apep and her curiosity about the man at the window. She forced herself to eat some of the kushari, a dish of rice, lentils, chickpeas and macaroni topped with tomato sauce that Amina had suggested. It was good, if different, but Rose found it difficult to enjoy properly.  
  
“Be patient,” Amina urged beside her as she ate her own dinner. “The museum will clear out enough soon for us to go in and really examine everything.” Amina glanced around to make sure they weren’t being watched. “I was able to verify that the mask we thought might have triggered everything has been in the museum’s possession for almost forty years and was on display for ten years.”  
  
“So it isn’t the mask,” Rose confirmed thoughtfully. “That’s not surprising, but it is very likely an Osirian object.”  
  
“I’ve made arrangements to look at it as soon as we are inside the museum,” Amina told her.  
  
They waited another fifteen minutes before leaving the restaurant and walking back to the museum. The large building was aglow with lights with gave it an aura of power and mystery. Rose glanced at the front door as Amina led her around the large structure to a small back door. To Rose’s surprise, Colonel Mostapha and two male soldiers were standing there waiting for them. The Colonel nodded to Rose and turned towards the door. Amina stepped in front of the Colonel and gently tapped on the door, seeming far more relaxed than Rose felt or the Colonel looked. The metal door beeped as a security lock was disengaged and opened to reveal a small middle-aged Egyptian man.  
  
“Ah Professor Chalthoum, welcome back,” the man called gesturing for her to enter. The man looked very tired, with dark shadows under his eyes and he looked as if he hadn’t eaten or slept properly for several days. His dark eyes landed on Rose, a glint of curiosity shining in them.  
  
“This is Marion Thorn from England,” Amina offered quickly. “She was recommended to help with our little problem.”  
  
The man nodded, almost to himself and looked over at Amina. “I won’t ask.” He turned back to Rose and added, “Just do whatever you can to end this nightmare.” The man then turned to the Colonel and handed him a card key before he left out the back door.  
  
“Curator?” Rose guessed once he had gone.  
  
“One of them,” Amina answered with a nod. “Poor man knows something terrible is happening, but can’t do anything about it.” Amina shook her head and gestured for Rose to follow her. “This way if you please, they’ve been storing the items in question downstairs.”  
  
Colonel Mostapha who had been listening now said, “Mounier will go with you. I will oversee a final sweep of the museum.” The Colonel looked at Rose, “We were able to arrange for there to be staff on duty tonight, UNIT personnel only. My men should all be in place of the guards now.” The Colonel looked back at Amina, “You have your radio.”  
  
“Yes sir,” Amina answered. “We’ll stay in contact.”  
  
Amina gestured for Rose to follow her and one of the soldiers, Rose guessed Mounier, also followed. They went down a flight of stairs and into the basement. Rose swallowed as they stepped into a climate controlled room where a UNIT guard nodded to them. Amina nodded back but said nothing as she led Rose through another door and into a corridor.  
  
“The museum has over 120,000 items,” she explained in a soft voice. “Only a small selection of them are on display at any given time.” Amina walked over to a door with a heavy security lock on it and pulled out a card key. Rose raised an eyebrow as Amina’s card opened the door.  
  
“They put them under extra security?”  
  
“UNIT added the lock two days ago,” Amina said, “We didn’t want any of the staff getting themselves killed out of curiosity.”  
  
The storage room was small and climate controlled with cases lining two of the walls. Quickly scanning the room, Rose noted most of the objects that had been in Amina’s report stored in the various cases. Several large heavy wooden boxes were placed in the centre of the room that Rose guessed held the rest.  
  
“Are they all here?” Rose questioned.  
  
“The ones we think killed people,” Amina confirmed with a sad nod. “And in some cases the items immediately around those in question since we can’t be sure how quickly this affect kills people.”  
  
“And so far it has only killed the staff?” Rose verified carefully. “No tourists since the report was made?”  
  
“No, which is why I think someone is switching them on and off,” Amina told her with a thoughtful frown. “It would be easy to kill a lot of people or drain their life energy if you’re right there while the museum is open.”  
  
“True, but that would cause a panic,” Rose remarked softly as she walked over to one of the cases and looked closely at the objects. There were two necklaces, a small wand and a bowl all with elegant detail work on them. Leaning over Rose tried to read some of the old and faded hieroglyphics, but even her translator couldn’t put the images back together.   
  
She worked silently, moving along the cases and studying the objects the best she could. Her translator gave her a few words here and there: gods, Ra, Horus, Osiris, river, life and house were the most common. Shaking her head when she reached the end, Rose turned back to Amina.  
  
“I’ve got nothing, I don’t really see anything connecting these objects.”  
  
“The only thing they really have in common is that they are Egyptian and first dynasty or even earlier,” Amina explained. “I have X-rays taken of some of them, but nothing usual appearing in any of the tests. According to our results, the objects are stone and metal.”  
  
“They may not have any power without an Osrian,” Rose suggested with a shrug. “They used mental power to do what they wanted, almost everything else was just a channel for that power.” Rose rubbed her temple and added, “I don’t even know if it has to be an actual Osirian artefact for Apep to use it, the very model of an Osirian artefact might be enough.”  
  
“Lovely,” Amina sighed. “Shall we look at the mask?”  
  
“Very carefully,” Rose muttered as she stepped up the box that Amina indicated.  
  
“The mask has been in complete lockdown since this morning,” Amina told her as they reached for the box. “The only time anyone was in this room after it was transferred out was to take out the bodies of those poor men.”  
  
“Is it wise to open that box?” Mounier question from the door.  
  
“We can’t find out what is happening if we don’t,” Rose replied as she glanced over at Amina. “So far none of these objects have activated more than once correct?”  
  
“That’s right,” Amina agreed even as she hesitated slightly in lifting the lid. “So far.”  
  
The lid of the box was raised and Rose peered in only to find an empty box.  
  
“What the-” Amina gasped, jumping to her feet. She turned sharply to Mounier and hissed. “Tell the Colonel that the mask is no longer in the storage room.”  
  
Rose reached for the next box that was labelled as a statue and pushed the lid off. A statue of a cat was nestled amongst packing peanuts. Next to her, she saw Amina check another box and then move to the last box.  
  
“It isn’t here,” Amina hissed. “How can it be gone? It was here after the bodies were removed. I was watching them be removed!”  
  
“Who else has a card key?” Rose questioned. “That kind of lock should keep a record.”  
  
“Only two others have a key,” Amina answered, recovering herself a little. “The Colonel and the Head of the Museum.”  
  
“Would he have any reason to remove the mask?” Rose asked.  
  
“Abusir?” Amina asked before shaking her head, “No, I can’t imagine that he would risk it.”  
  
The Colonel arrived a moment later with another soldier that Rose hadn’t seen before. The private stepped forward and knelt in front of the lock, plugging a small handheld computer into it.  
  
“Well?” the Colonel asked.  
  
“It will take a moment sir,” the private replied calmly. “The door was opened at 5:05 PM today by Professor Abusir’s key.”  
  
Colonel Mostapha reached for his radio, “All units sweep the museum for Professor Abusir and alert HQ to send a patrol to his home at once. He is believed to have removed one of the dangerous items.”  
  
Rose turned to Amina as the Colonel issued orders to individual soldiers with his radio. “Where was the mask on display before it was removed?”  
  
“I’ll show you,” Amina said to Rose before she looked over at Mounier, “Private Mounier I’d rather you remained with us.”  
  
“Yes ma’am,” the private agreed with a nod to Amina who swept out of the small storage and headed for the stairs, Rose right behind her.


	19. Land of the Pyramids: The Grand Gallery

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Nineteen: Land of the Pyramids: The Grand Gallery  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
………………………….  
  
The mask wasn’t at its old display of course and the Colonel had ordered that the entire museum be searched just to be certain. The Colonel assigned two privates to search with Rose while Amina vanished down a hallway with two soldiers of her own. After three hours of the museum being swept, Rose was now fairly confident that museums were slightly transdimensional. The building that hadn’t seemed that large before was now a vast labyrinth full of hiding places and probably enough space to complete some kind of ancient alien ritual that would suck her entire planet into the time-space vortex without them ever knowing it. Needless to say as Rose stepped into another small gallery room with two of the UNIT soldiers she was becoming frustrated.   
  
Security cameras around the museum hadn’t seen anyone leaving with the mask and no internal cameras had seen it. Rose was still certain that the mask in the museum along with Apep. It just didn’t feel right that he’d leave when she was here: his arrogance would want to see her destroyed. He’d want to know that she was dead and out of the way, at least that was what she hoping for. Rose shook her head at her own thoughts and focused on checking the small spaces around the displays for anything odd.  
  
Looking at the two privates that were with her, Rose briefly considered checking with Amina and the Colonel to see if they had found anything. Logically she knew that everyone was reporting in via their radios every fifteen minutes, but the silence in the museum was making her nervous. Her small group on the second floor of the museum and had nearly completed their assigned section.  
  
“There’s nothing here,” one of the privates, Massri, complained.  
  
“Agreed,” Rose said as she walked over to join them. “Let’s move on.”  
  
Massri nodded and reached for his radio. “This is Massri checking in,” he called into the speaker. Rose watched as the man’s face tightened and he spoke again. “Massri to Colonel Mostapha come in.” Only static answered.  
  
“Something’s happened,” Rose said with a stern look at the two privates. “Come on, back to the main gallery.”  
  
Private Massri grabbed Rose’s arm lightly as she turned towards the door. “With all due respect Agent Thorn,” he interrupted politely. “Let us go first.”   
  
Massri and his fellow soldier, Private Sawalha moved in front of her, holding their weapons at the ready. Rose took a deep breath to steady herself and followed them from the room. They moved at the slow pace, looking into each of the small display rooms as they moved back towards the stairs. Rose dropped her right hand and kept it ready to summon her sword, but hesitated remembering what had happened the last time she’d used her sword against Apep. The telepathic powers of the Osirians were capable of overwhelming even a sword created by the White Guardian.   
  
The trio was almost to the grand gallery when a strange humming sound began to echo in the stone halls of the museum. Massri and Sawalha exchanged a look ahead of Rose and then ran forward towards the source of the noise. Rose glared at them and snapped, “Wait don’t-” but they were already to the stairs at the end of the hall.   
  
Rose ran forward herself, pausing only briefly to glance into each of the display rooms along the hall to check for any signs of change. She nearly tripped rushing down the stairs and skidded to a stop when she saw the two men at the bottom of the stairs. Massri was dead at the bottom of the stairs, his neck twisted around unnaturally and Sawalha was in the grip of an Osirian service robot. Rose took a quick step forward but was too far away as a second service robot reached over and snapped the man’s neck with a horrific cracking noise that echoed in the stone hallway.  
  
Stepping back, Rose stared at the two corpses as Sawalha’s body hit the marble floor of the hallway. Her eyes moved up to the service robots who started to move towards her. A sudden scream from the grand gallery drew Rose’s attention away from the robots. Rose jumped over the middle rail of the stairs and rushed the rest of the way down to the first floor as quickly as she could. Ducking down, Rose darted under the arms of the service robot as it reached for her as she ran past.   
  
She rushed down the corridors towards the large main gallery where the humming was coming from, but a sudden shriek made Rose look to the right, into a large oval room. Rose’s eyes spotted Anima just as a service robot knocked her on the head, throwing her back against the wall. Anima’s body slid to the floor just as the service robot killed one of the soldiers who had been checking with her. Without thinking, Rose moved into the room and towards Anima who she could see was barely breathing, but still breathing.  
  
“Rose Tyler,” the smooth voice of Apep hissed from across the room. Rose turned to see the man she’d spotted in the window leaning calmly against the far wall between a pair of statues. “How nice of you to join us.”  
  
Apep’s human face was lean with sharp features and dark eyes that fixed on Rose. His narrow lips curved into an ugly smirk. Rose lunged forward, but one of the service robots knocked her sideways away from Apep. Air rushed out of Rose’s lungs as she hit the stone floor and she coughed at the pain from the hit but forced herself to her feet. A service robot grabbed one of her arms twisting it back. Rose struggled against it only to have her other arm gripped by the robot that had hit her.  
  
“I should have known they’d call you,” Apep observed as he stepped away from the wall. “And once you came I just couldn’t wait any longer. It is fitting that you are here,” Apep murmured to Rose as he stepped up in front of her. His humanoid fingers brushed a strand of her hair out of her face. “You’ve grown up so well.”  
  
Rose leaned forward as far as she could against the robots grip and snapped her teeth at his fingers. Apep drew them back with a chuckle and was about to say something when the sound of running feet reached them. Rose tensed at the sudden sound of gunfire a moment later and the voice of Colonel Mostapha shouting orders. The grip of the service robots tightened on her arms as Rose tried to turn and look out into the hall. There were several heavy thuds from the hallway and the sound of the shooting stopped. Rose looked up at Apep’s face only to see him looking very calm and slightly bored.  
  
Two service robots lumbered into her view a moment later, grabbing Colonel Mostapha into view even as he struggled against their grip. Rose could guess what had happened to the other men as she saw the Colonel’s fearful, but determined face.  
  
“Colonel Mostapha,” Apep greeted pleasantly as he looked at the man. “Thank you for joining us, now I needn’t search the museum.”   
  
The service robots holding the Colonel shoved him forward towards Apep who merely stared at the soldier in front of him for a moment. Colonel Mostapha’s face went blank, his dark eyes glazed over as he stared at Apep. A look of awe and reverence took over his features. Apep smiled, his human face lit up with glee as Rose struggled against the grip of the service robots.  
  
“I have missed this,” Apep sighed happily. “When my mind was split from me I was left with a gaping wound.”  
  
“And the life force you’ve drained has healed it?” Rose questioned, trying to distract Apep from Colonel Mostapha. “Is that why those people died? You used some of the Osirian technology to transfer their energy to yourself?”  
  
“That and time,” Apep answered smoothly. “But I had a greater purpose here than merely using Horus’ forgotten trinkets to heal myself.” Apep turned his eyes back to Colonel Mostapha and Rose could only watch as Apep’s face shimmered. The human features shifted and reformed into the horrible hooded snake head that he’d had the first time Rose saw him.  
  
“Kill yourself,” Apep hissed to Colonel Mostapha.  
  
“Yes Lord Apep,” the Colonel intoned in an empty voice.  
  
Rose pushed against the floor with all of her might, trying to break free from the service robots, but they held her fast. Colonel Mostapha’s hand went to his holster and drew out his service weapon with one smooth motion. Apep looked over at Rose, watching her struggle to free herself from the large service robots.  
  
“Try your sword,” Apep teased cruelly. “I’m stronger than I was then, the telepathic backlash might even kill you this time.”  
  
“Stop it Apep,” Rose snapped as her eyes darted desperately to the Colonel as he slowly raised the pistol to his head. “You’ve made your point! Stop it!”  
  
“Oh not even close Rose Tyler,” Apep hissed as he focused his serpentine eyes on her. “I haven’t even started. Your species needs to be reminded of how small you are. You are specks of dust to me.”  
  
Rose couldn’t look away from Apep as she felt a strange pressure in her head like a wave of water trying to force down a wall. A sudden gunshot made Rose flinch, startling her out of whatever Apep had been attempting. Against her will, Rose’s eyes moved towards Colonel Mostapha who was lying dead on the ground. Rose slammed her eyes shut before she could take in the horrible detail of the man’s death. Then she heard Apep laughing softly.   
  
Rose’s head turned back towards the alien and her eyes snapped open. Glaring at the alien with all her might, she pulled uselessly against the grip of the service robots. Her shoulders protested the movement, but Rose ignored the growing ache in her body in favour of embracing her rage.  
  
“There’s that look,” Apep hissed softly. “That look of utter defiance.” Apep moved closer to Rose and forced her chin up with his gloved hand. “I’ve almost missed that look, Rose Tyler.” Then he pulled his hand away and hit Rose sharply across the face, jarring her neck muscles with the force of the blow. “I have a fitting end for you.”   
  
Apep turned to the other service robots and gestured towards the unconscious figures of Amina, Private Mounier and the other soldiers. The service robots lumbered to them and picked them up to drag one by one. Apep turned dramatically and his heel and began to walk towards the door of the small gallery. Rose was jerked forward suddenly by the service robots, making the sore muscles in her neck protest as they half dragged her after Apep. They crossed the hallway which seemed longer than ever to enter the large main gallery of the museum.   
  
The large gallery was dimmer than Rose remembered it being earlier with the artefacts casting long shadows. There was a stillness in the air despite the heavy footfalls of the service robots. Rose had never been in a tomb personally, but at that moment she could easily believe this was what it felt like. Her eyes swept the room quickly and found the addition that Apep must have made. At the far end of the large gallery was a massive statue of a seated pharaoh and queen that Rose had looked at earlier. Set at the foot of the large statue was an open sarcophagus which was empty, but seemed to be humming.  
  
“A lodestone?” Rose questioned softly, remembering Sarah Jane’s description at the time-space tunnel system that the Osirian Sutekh had used.   
  
“Very good Rose,” Apep complimented with amusement in his voice. “I have spent the last five years altering this lodestone, perfecting it as Sutek and Horus were too limited to achieve.”   
  
“Where are you going?” Rose asked.  
  
“Ancient Egypt,” Apep breathed. “To correct the wrongs done to me.” Apep looked back over at her. “But time space tunnels are dangerous Rose; they age their travellers by the amount of time they move through it.”  
  
“And you’ve been gathering life energy to survive the trip,” Rose muttered in understanding. “Surely you haven’t gotten five thousand years of life energy from those you’ve killed.”  
  
Apep laughed, hisses escaping him as he did so. “Oh, Rose I’ve been draining life force to do this for years, since even before New York.” Apep shook his large serpent head. “But no, I have improved on the lodestone,” Apep announced triumphantly. “I have charged the corridor itself with the life energy,” Apep gloated. “It will charge my body with Artron energy, protecting me from the trip. The journey will pose no threat to me.”  
  
Rose straightened at the mention of Artron energy. The Doctor had talked about it enough that she knew it was temporal residue in the body of Time Travelers and in high enough quantities could have an impact on time travel.   
  
“So it won’t kill you,” Rose verified, “But what about the paradox.”  
  
But Apep didn’t answer her, instead, he seemed bored by the conversation. Instead, he pulled a strange golden scarab from his suit jacket and held it in his hand. The strange portal shimmered and the glow intensified. The service robots not holding Rose dragged one of the unconscious soldiers over to Apep. The Osirian held the strange scarab over the man’s body and Rose gasped as she instantly saw the man’s skin begin to dry out. His mouth opened in a silent scream and Rose shut her eyes just after seeing his eyes begin to sink back into his skull. Apep laughed, but Rose didn’t open her eyes.  
  
“Why did your robots kill the others,” Rose asked softly a few moments later. “Why not just do this to them.”  
  
“I don’t really need any more life energy,” Apep said calmly. “But a little extra before going back in time is always a good precaution.”  
  
Rose felt Apep stepping up in front of her and him grasping her chin, forcing her to look up at him, but her eyes remained closed. “Open your eyes,” Apep commanded her.  
  
“No,” Rose hissed.  
  
“I don’t need to see your eyes to take control of you,” Apep warned her. “But I want you to see me kill the others, I want you to understand that you can’t do anything to stop me.”  
  
Rose desperately wished that she had called the Doctor, consequences of him swooping in to save the Earth yet again be damned. Apep’s fingers brushed over her cheeks making Rose instinctively try and pull away, but the robots held her too tightly. Apep chuckled again and Rose could feel the hot breath on her face despite his serpent head.   
  
“I’m going to take over your mind Rose,” Apep whispered. “You’re going to come with me into the past and help me alter the history of your world so that I reign supreme. Then you will help me release Horath when the time comes and I will rule the universe. I will keep you alive for centuries to serve me as a prisoner in your mind while your body obeys every command that I give it.”  
  
Rose shuddered but opened her eyes to glare up at Apep while trying to figure out some way out of this situation. She couldn’t reach her mobile phone to call the Doctor and her sword didn’t work on Apep’s robots. Apep set the scarab he’d been holding down on the edge of a nearby sarcophagus and then stepped up to Rose.  
  
“That’s better,” he hissed in delight. “Show me that defiance one last time.”  
  
Rose spit in his face, it wouldn’t do anything, but it gave her a tiny spark of satisfaction. Then she felt it. That presence pushing against her mind once again, but with more force and a sharpness to it. This wasn’t a warning or Apep trying to frighten her. Rose gasped as a painful feeling overwhelmed her sense like a hot poker being held to her scalp right behind an ear. She screamed and lost her vision as the force pushed harder against her mind, but then was suddenly gone.   
  
Rose felt the hands of the robots loosen and slipped from their grasp as she fell to the floor, her knees hitting the floor painfully. The fresh jolt of pain jarred Rose back to reality and she forced her eyes open once again. Apep was a few feet from her, clutching his serpent head and groaning while hissing words that Rose’s mind couldn’t catch. Next to her, the service robots were standing completely still.   
  
“What was that!?” Apep roared fixing his serpent eyes on Rose as she tried to climb to her feet. “What is in your mind?! What kept me out?!”  
  
Rose didn’t know what he was talking about and didn’t really care as she steadied herself on her feet. Her eyes locked with Apep’s seeing the genuine surprise and fear in them, but she had no answer. She took a step towards Apep and was stunned when he drew back. Suddenly he lunged to the side and grabbed the scarab in his hand. He looked over at the service robots and gestured to them, but nothing happened. Apep narrowed his eyes and then groaned in pain, stepping back and clutching at his head.   
  
Apep snarled at Rose and turned back to the shimmering event horizon trapped in the confines of the large sarcophagus. His black gloved hand reached out a touched the shimmering portal which flowed back from his touch.   
  
“Farwell Rose Tyler,” Apep hissed back to her before he stepped forward into the time-space tunnel.  
  
Rose’s eyes widened as the figure vanished down the long corridor of swirling lights and shimmering energy. Her legs protested as she moved forward towards the portal. Stopping in front of it, Rose took a shaky breath and looked over her shoulder at the unconscious soldiers and Amina. Turning back to the portal, Rose nodded to herself and took a breath.   
  
“Right then,” she murmured to herself. “I hope Apep’s modifications really work.” Rose pushed against the event horizon and gasped as it instantly gave away to her weight. Stepping forward, Rose moved into the time-space tunnel and felt herself being whisked away.


	20. Land of the Pyramids: Capstone

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Twenty: Land of the Pyramids: Capstone  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
………………………………  
  
Rose hit the ground hard, forcing the air out of her lungs. Her eyes slammed closed instinctively from the bright light surrounding her and her fingers searched the immediate area. A strong breeze whipped her hair around her head, pulling some strands from her hair tie. Sand blew across her hands and face and Rose slowly opened her eyes. Sunlight was glinted off of the smooth sand dunes that were around her and into her eyes.   
  
Forcing herself to her knees, Rose lifted her right hand to shade her eyes and she looked around. In the distance, she could just see low brown buildings at the horizon and shimmering in the reflection of the sun off of the sand.  Her body felt heavy and her senses dull, but Rose forced herself to bring her senses under control. The roar of the wind with the sand seemed to lessen and her eyes adjusted to the light of the desert after the dimness of the museum. Taking a breath slowly, while sheltering her face Rose mentally checked her limbs and the pain in her body. Her body was still aching from her treatment from the service robots, but she could feel everything and move. Her shoulder bag had slipped around to her back but was still securely on despite her sudden time travel.  
  
Turning around, Rose gasped and took an involuntary step back. Dominating the space behind her, maybe five miles away was a massive pyramid with smooth gleaming sides. It was perfect, looking just like paintings and drawings of the ancient structures when they were new.   
  
“Five thousand years,” Rose murmured to herself softly. “It worked.”  
  
Rose raised a shaky hand to her face and felt the smooth skin, as silly as it was. Had the time tunnel actually aged her five thousand years she’d be dust. She pulled her eyes away from it and looked around the rest of the way. Another pyramid, only partially built with large earth ramps wrapping around it stood a few miles away. Rose’s eyes traced the area, searching for Apep. A figure rose over a dune in dark clothing, but too far away for Rose to see closely. It was moving towards the pyramid under construction when it turned slightly giving Rose a view of the silhouette. A serpent hood stood out darkly against the golden sand and Rose started to run towards it.  
  
The closer she got the harder it was to focus on Apep. The pyramid was surrounded by hustle and bustle and even from a distance, she could see huge stones being loaded onto sledges and pulled by large teams of men up the ramps that twisted around the pyramid. Rose was snapped out of her observations by screaming at the building site. She took a quick breath and forced herself to run faster towards the pyramid. A sudden scream and rising cloud of dust and sand told her just a few minutes that Apep had started to do whatever he had planned. She didn’t wait for anything else and as soon as she reached the bottom of the ramp Rose began to race up towards the top of the pyramid.  
  
Rose looked up towards the top of the pyramid, desperate to catch sight of Apep as another scream ripped through the air.  The scream was followed by the sound of chanting from high above her head as the workers and guards started to chant Apep’s name. Rushing forward, Rose duck and wove around those fleeing down the ramps. A guard slammed into her, knocking Rose back onto the earthen ramp as the guard also tumbled. His sword slipped from his hand, but he didn’t bother collecting it as he scrambled to his feet and kept running. Rose rolled out of the immediate path of the stampeding workers. Another man hit her in the side, knocking her against the side of the nearly stone of the pyramid. Rose hissed in pain and leaned back from the crowd as far as she could against the warm stone of the pyramid.  
  
The last of the fleeing workers passed within moments and Rose forced herself to take another breath. Her eyes fell on the curved blade that the guard had dropped and she scooped it up in her right hand. The balance wasn’t very good, but she couldn’t risk using her Star Knight sword against Apep so it would have to do. Tightening her grip on the sword, Rose looked up the ramp and started the climb to the top.  
  
The serpent Orisian was waiting for her and holding the scarab above his head with the large platform of the pyramid lined with workers and guards. Each had a glazed look in their eyes and were chanting Apep’s name. Rose stepped off of the ramp and was a bit startled when the chanting stopped and Apep’s slaves parted to allow her into the middle of the square. Rose stepped forward slowly, her eyes tracing the assembled humans. Most were workers and not carrying weapons with only two armed guards among them. Looking back at the scarab, Rose was stunned to see that it seemed to be pulsing with energy and she could feel the temperature dropping as she moved closer to Apep.  
  
“So Rose did you study my mythology on Earth?” Apep questioned without turning to face her. “These simple folks believed that I devoured the sun.”  
  
“Did you?” Rose asked. “Is that why Ra imprisoned you? Did you do something to Earth’s sun?”  
  
Apep laughed, his hissing echoed off of the smooth stones of the pyramid’s top. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised by such questions, you are far more clever than most of your kind.” Apep looked over his shoulder. “And brave enough to follow me back in time.”  
  
“It’s not my first trip in time,” Rose informed him calmly as she took another step towards Apep.   
  
The hilt of the sword felt slippery and Rose realised that she was sweating nervously. The snake’s eyes dropped to the sword briefly before he turned his attention to the scarab.   
  
“It’s no matter,” Apep replied softly. “Ra isn’t here to stop me this time, none of them are! Strange that the only ones to survive were Sekhet and I because we were locked away.” Apep raised the scarab towards the sun once again. “If Ra could see how things turned out, he really would hide his face.”  
  
The light of the sun suddenly dimmed and Rose looked up towards it in alarm. The bright golden glow of the sun was being dimmed as it darkened to a light blue.  
  
“Energy,” Apep breathed. “That was the only reason I came to this rock in the first place. The humans were too primitive to stop me and I thought Ra would never find me.”  
  
“Stop it Apep,” Rose yelled. “You’ll freeze the planet.”  
  
“Oh not that quickly,” Apep replied with a dark chuckle. “I have use for your kind and a planetary history to rewrite.” Apep made a gesture with his free hand and the humans started to move towards Rose.  
  
Looking around in alarm, Rose slipped into a defence stance and tried to focus. Humans now stood between her and Apep, more importantly between her and scarab which was the key to what Apep was doing. She barely dodged a sword swing from one of the two guards and raised the Egyptian sword to counter the strike. One of the muscular workers tried to grab her from behind, but Rose roundhouse kicked him in the chest.  
  
Rose tossed the sword away and raised her hands to catch a punch from one of the men and flipped him over her shoulder. He collided with another man and Rose released him, sending both to the ground with a hard thud. The Egyptians moved against her quickly, but the workers were untrained and focused on strength. A few quick punches took another one down and a leg sweep forced another to fall.   
  
Rose ignored the five that hadn’t reached her over their struggling comrades and grabbed the sword. She jumped over the fallen guard and rushed towards Apep. He swung around, still holding the scarab tight in his right fist and reached for Rose with his left hand. There was another wave of pressure against her head, nearly overwhelming her senses. The sword in her right hand became heavy, but she used the growing pain to tighten her grip.  
  
“What are you?!” Apep hissed in pain, but he did not stop the attack.  
  
Rose screamed as the feeling of a scalding point against her brain returned and blindly swung the sword with her right hand. Her vision was blurred with pain and her hearing was fading in and out, but she felt the sword collide with Apep’s body. Everything eased and it was all Rose could do to keep from fainting. Suddenly her left side was struck hard by Apep’s fist with much greater force than a human could manage.   
  
Air rushed from Rose’s lungs and she felt something crack inside of her body as she pulled away instinctively from the blow. Her grip on the sword loosened for a moment, but it did not fall from her hand. Forcing her eyes open, not realising that she’d ever closed them, Rose found the blurry shape of Apep and swung the sword again just above her shoulder level. Behind her, she caught a cheer and a scream along with what sounded like a prayer against evil. The sword sunk into flesh and caught, not simply sliding off from a minor hit. A panicked hissing reached her ears.  
  
Rose blinked several times and did her best to force herself beyond the pain of Apep’s attack. She shifted her stance and put her weight against the blade in her hand. The hissing turned to a groan mixed with gurgling sounds and Rose’s vision began to clear. Apep’s chest was slashed open from the first swing, but now the sword was embedded in the neck of the serpent head and he was twitching. Rose starred at Apep, their eyes locking in a moment of stunned silence. The scarab slipped from his hand and landed on the stone with a sharp metallic sound.  
  
“I wondered-” Apep coughed, “Where the myth of Bast slaying me came from.”  
  
Pulling the sword out of his neck, Rose stepped back as Apep collapsed to his knees in front of her. His hands moved up to his neck desperately to stop the bleeding. Rose looked down at him for a moment, debating with herself as to what to do. He wasn’t going to live, that much was certain from his reaction to the injury. She looked up at the sun to see that it was still blue and looked over at the scarab.   
  
“How do I stop this Apep?” Rose questioned in an exhausted voice.   
  
He glared at her and hissed, “You can’t.”  
  
She didn’t believe him at all. To her surprise, as he coughed up his own blood, Rose felt some pity for the dying creature. She raised her sword and braced herself for putting him out of his misery and hopefully saving the world.   
  
“Then may you find mercy in whatever afterlife you believe in.”  
  
“You won’t,” Apep groaned as he looked up at her.  
  
She brought the sword down as hard as she could on his injured neck. The resistance lasted a moment as the sword cleaved into the serpent neck. Rose flinched at the sound of the small spinal bones snapping under the force and pulled the sword back.  Apep’s body fell in front of her as she stepped back.   
  
A burst of warmth on her skin made her eyes fly open and look towards the sun. She instantly had to look away as the bright glow began to return. Smiling, Rose lowered her eyes only to have them land on Apep’s corpse. She looked away quickly and located the scarab. Carefully kneeling down, Rose picked it up and held it in her hand. She closed her fingers around it, letting it sit gently in the palm of her hand as she tilted her face up towards the sun with closed eyes.  
  
“Daughter of Ra,” she heard a voice whisper fearfully behind her.  
  
Rose turned to find the Egyptians on their knees behind her. Sighing, Rose looked away from them for a moment and took a breath.   
  
“Leave me,” she ordered with as much authority as she could manage. “You may return to your work tomorrow.”  
  
Rose didn’t watch them leave, focusing instead on the feel of the sun on her skin and the smell of the limestone under the feet. Once they were gone, Rose stepped away from Apep’s body and clutched her left side gingerly. She’d never had a broken rib before, but the grinding feeling as she breathed made her think she did now.  Looking down from the top of the pyramid, Rose frowned at the sight of the dead Egyptians and the chaos that the site was in. The nearest stone on its sledge was cracked and she could see the figures of the survivors rushing towards the nearby worker village. Taking another slow breath, Rose reached into her bag and pulled out her mobile phone, grateful once again that the Doctor made sure it was upgraded. She pressed the TARDIS speed dial and held the phone to her ear.  
  
“Hello?” A cheerful and youthful voice asked, Rose, recognized it as the Eleventh Doctor’s and smiled softly to herself. Oddly just the sound of the happiest version of him made her feel a little better about her day.  
  
“Hello Doctor,” she greeted as she did her best to keep the pain out of her voice, “Care to give a stranded girl a lift?”  
  
“When and where is she stranded?” the Doctor asked with a teasing tone.  
  
“Well if Apep got his time tunnel set up right five thousand years ago,” Rose answered. “In Egypt near the Sphinx,” Rose added, looking over towards the massive stature.  
  
“The Great Sphinx huh,” the Doctor said thoughtfully. “Are all the pyramids complete?”  
  
“No,” Rose told him as she carefully looked around. “I’m at the top of one that is about two-thirds done.”   
  
“Well then you’re only 4,500 years in the past,” the Doctor informed her. “The Sphinx and pyramids weren’t around 5,000 years ago. Sounds like Apep got it a bit wrong.” Rose could practically hear the Doctor rolling his eyes, “Osirians time travel was so awkward, not to mention dangerous.”  
  
“Maybe,” Rose said. “But let’s be grateful for Apep’s alternations or I’d be dead.” The Doctor was quiet for a moment so Rose added, “And I didn’t have a handy toy to trap him in a time tunnel like a certain Time Lord.”  
  
“The benefits of a fully stocked TARDIS,” the Doctor replied in a softer tone “Just let me adjust this and the TARDIS will locate you with your ring.”  
  
Rose’s eyes dropped to the golden ring with the small purple gemstone that she always wore. “I forgot about your little tracking device,” she chuckled weakly.  
  
“Oh it’s not a tracking device,” the Doctor informed cheerfully. “Only the TARDIS can track you with that.”  
  
“Good to know,” Rose breathed.  
  
“I track you with the chip in your arm,” the Doctor added. “Rather I will track you with the chip in your arm.”  
  
Rose blinked and was quiet for a moment. “The worrying thing Doctor is I’m not sure if you’re joking or not.”  
  
“You have a talent for wandering off,” the Doctor told her teasingly. “Alright, I’ve got your location,” the Doctor told her before the phone went silent. Rose smiled and slipped the phone into her pocket and looked out towards the Nile.  
  
The familiar wheezing sound echoed off of the stone layer of the pyramid she was standing on. Rose smiled as the outline of the TARDIS appeared and flickered into view with the light flashing. A moment later the blue box finished materialising on the top of the nearly completed pyramid. The door opened inward and the Doctor stepped out with a wide smile. He wasn’t wearing his tweed coat and the sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to his elbows, but his bow tie was still neatly tied under his chin.  
  
“Hello Doctor,” Rose greeted softly, ignoring the pain in her side.  
  
“Hello Darling,” the Doctor said gently as he stepped forward and kissed her forehead. “What hurts?” he asked a moment later, cradling her head.  
  
“My side,” Rose replied honestly around a hiss of pain. “I think I may have a broken rib.”  
  
“Then medical bay for you missy,” the Doctor ordered gesturing towards the TARDIS.  
  
“Am I inside?” Rose asked as she looked back at the TARDIS.  
  
“No, I dropped you off before I came by,” the Doctor assured her. “Positive side is that I got out of a shopping trip.”  
  
Rose chuckled lightly for a second but stopped when pain rippled through her side. “Inside inside,” the Doctor urged with his expression darkening with concern.  
  
Rose entered the TARDIS and smiled at the sight of the smooth metal and glass console room. “Medical bay is where?” Rose asked looking over her shoulder at the Doctor.  
  
“Right,” the Doctor said mostly to himself. “You don’t know this version.” He held out a hand to Rose which she happily took. The Doctor led her up a set of stairs and into the corridors of the TARDIS. Rose noticed that the corridors were very different than what she knew with the coral theme being completely gone in favour of the smooth curved halls of the new setup of the TARDIS.  
  
The medical bay wasn’t far from the console room, a very good design on the TARDIS’ part in Rose’s opinion. She released the Doctor’s hand when he gestured her to sit in a chair and did so as the Doctor picked up a device that looked a bit like his sonic screwdriver with a green tip and a white handle.  
  
“Bag off,” the Doctor ordered, turning back to Rose.   
  
He gently helped her shrug off the shoulder bag and set it aside. Rose finally released her grip on the scarab which the Doctor carefully took from her palm and placed on a tray. Then he knelt in front of her and tenderly touched her side. Rose hissed at the contact and the Doctor raised the device to her side.   
  
“Take a breath and hold it,” the Doctor instructed gently. Rose did so and a soft humming noise filled the room. The pain intensified for a moment before easing. “Let out the breath.” She let out the breath slowly and then took another breath, smiling when there was no pain. The Doctor grinned at her and set the device to the side. “That’s better,” he said cheerfully before leaning up to catch her lips in a soft kiss.   
  
Rose lifted a hand to his head and tangled her fingers in his hair as she returned the kiss. His lips were soft and warm against hers and his familiar smell filled her senses. After the whole mess with Apep, this moment finally reassured her that it was over, the snake was dead. She forced herself to pull away from the Doctor.  
  
“What about Apep’s body?” she asked. “Probably not a good idea to just leave it.”  
  
“There’s a mood killer,” the Doctor teased, but he answered her quickly. “I’ll take care of cremating it,” he promised.   
  
The Doctor stood up and held out his hand to Rose. She accepted his hand and let him pull her to her feet. Rose grabbed her bag and slipped it back on before the Doctor led her a few doors down to the kitchen.   
  
The TARDIS kitchen had changed quite a bit from the one Rose had become familiar with in the Tenth’s Doctor’s TARDIS. Where the old one had been dominated by an automated meal bar machine that she blamed on his Ninth self with cabinets and appliance lining the walls around it, this kitchen was sleek and dominated by appliances and cabinets with a large dining island in the centre. It looked a lot like a commercial kitchen with a lot of counter space, exactly the sort of place that Rose would enjoy cooking in.  
  
“This is a nice change,” Rose remarked with a growing smile. “I’ll look forward to this.”  
  
“I think she did this for you,” the Doctor answered with a shrug. “You did fine in the old one, but you never disguised that you didn’t like the setup.”  
  
“That was sweet of her,” Rose beamed. “Why are we here?”  
  
The Doctor went over to the refrigerator and pulled out a plate and a jug of water. He set both on the island. “Eat and drink all of this,” the Doctor told her. “Knitting bones back together is hard on a body.” Rose sat down and the Doctor kissed her forehead again. He hung by the door for a moment to make sure that Rose started to eat before he left.  
  
The jug was water, but given the taste, Rose was sure that something extra had been added to it. The taste wasn’t bad in fact it had a bit of a cherry flavour, but it was noticeable. The food took her a moment longer to try as it was small beans in a strange sauce, but the beans were a purplish colour. Once she tried it, Rose discovered that it tasted really good and the strange thought that she might have cooked them for herself occurred to her.  Shaking her head, Rose dismissed the thought and finished the meal. She stood up from the island and took her dishes the sink. Rose was pleased to discover a sponge and normal dish soap. Either this version of the Doctor liked using human things or her future-self kept a firm grasp on her roots.  
  
Moving slowly through the corridors, Rose found a few doors with names on them: Aurora, Alistair, Arthur and a few other names leading down one way. She was tempted to explore the living corridor further, but sounds from the console room drew her attention that way. When she entered the console room a moment later the Doctor was pulling on his tweed coat.  
  
“Time to go,” the Doctor announced. “Judging from the dust cloud coming towards us, I’d say the Pharaoh’s army is heading towards us.” He looked over at Rose and grinned. “Well the workers did see a woman fighting a god and then a pillar of smoke rising from the pyramid,” the Doctor said with a shrug as he adjusted a few controls on the TARDIS. “Can’t really blame them now can you?”  
  
“Pity though,” Rose remarked. “I would have liked to see Ancient Egypt.”  
  
“I’ll bring you here again, don’t worry,” the Doctor promised as he flipped a lever.  
  
The TARDIS shuddered and Rose grabbed the railing as they dematerialized from the top of a pyramid. Grinning, Rose watched the column colours change and pulse as they moved through time. They stopped with a shudder a moment later and Rose laughed as she was tossed slightly to the side.   
  
“I love the TARDIS,” Rose cheered as she righted herself on her feet. Releasing her grip on the rail Rose stepped forward to join the Doctor who was watching her. Leaning up, Rose kissed the Doctor quickly on the lips. “And I love you.”  
  
“There’s my girl,” the Doctor beamed. He kissed her quickly. “I love you too.” He gestured to the doors. “Back to your own time Miss Tyler.”   
  
Rose looked over at the door and sighed softly. “Yeah…”  
  
“It’ll be alright,” the Doctor told her gently. “Apep is dead now, he can’t ever hurt anyone again.”  
  
“I know,” Rose replied with a nod. “But he did a lot of damage.”  
  
“You can’t change that,” the Doctor reminded her. “But I know the feeling.”  
  
Rose looked up at him and nodded a moment later. “I know you do,” she sighed softly.  
  
“Right then Rose,” the Doctor said clapping his hand together as he moved away from her. “Off you go then.”  
  
Rose nodded and adjusted her bag back across her chest before walking down to the door. Reaching the door, Rose set a hand on the door handle but turned back to the Doctor. He was smiling at her and his green eyes were twinkling. It made Rose very suspicious. She walked back up to the Doctor and used his bowtie to pull him down so she could kiss him. Rose’s other hand wove through his hair as she snogged him. His hand came up and gently cupped her cheek, softening the kiss.   
  
When they parted, Rose managed to whisper, “Until next time Doctor.”  
  
“Until next time Rose Tyler,” the Doctor returned, sounding a little out of breath which made Rose smile smugly.  
  
She turned on her heel and walked to the front door of the TARDIS and exited it, fully expecting the heat of Cairo. Instead, she shivered slightly as she stepped out into a cool breeze that smelled like the sea.  Rose’s eyes widened as she looked out over a city towards the ocean. Spinning back to the TARDIS Rose groaned as it started to dematerialize. Rose’s groan turned to a gasp as the TARDIS vanished and she was suddenly looking up at the Athena acropolis.    
  
She gave herself a few moments to properly take in the sight before she pulled out her mobile phone and checked the date. It was two weeks before she had gone to Egypt and three weeks before she was due back at Cambridge.  
  
“Okay,” Rose laughed to herself as she slipped her phone back into her bag. “I’ve got my passport, emergency money and access to my bank account.” She smiled and glanced up at the acropolis, “Not bad Doctor, my day just greatly improved.”  
  
She was tempted of course to call the Egyptian Unit branch, the death of Colonel Mostapha and the others could be prevented…. Only Rose also knew that they couldn’t be prevented. She couldn’t change her own history. Shaking her head, Rose forced the idea from her head and decided to focus on her present. She’d enjoy Greece for two weeks and deal with the aftermath of Apep when she was back in synch with UNIT. Rose glanced back at the acropolis and then down towards the city and then back towards the ruins. She wasn’t really that cold anyway Rose decided as she started walking up towards the ruins.   
  
……………………..  
  
Two days later Rose was sitting on a bench in the agora with a new sketchpad in her hands drawing the acropolis. Next to her was a container of chips from a small stand that she’d located in the tourist district. She’d paid way too much for them, but at the moment she really didn’t care as ate another one. They weren’t as good as home, but still lovely. The area was quiet and peaceful since January wasn’t the major tourist season and the locals found the 55-degree weather on the cold side. Rose herself was dressed in a new t-shirt with a hoodie that she’d picked up the day before while hostel hunting.  
  
“Excuse me,” a warm voice called behind her.  
  
Rose turned to see a smaller man dressed in a loose black suit with a white shirt and black bowtie. He had black hair and dark eyes but was smiling at her gently. As their eyes met Rose saw a hint of surprise in his eyes.   
  
“Yes?” Rose asked, brushing a strand of hair that had escaped her ponytail behind her ear.  
  
“Have you seen a young man in a kilt and a girl about your age with brown hair about?”  
  
“I’m afraid not,” Rose answered honestly. “What are their names?”  
  
“Jamie and Victoria,” the man huffed and Rose had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from grinning at him. Judging from his appearance this was the Second Doctor who had travelled with Ben, Polly and Victoria for a time. “Honestly,” the Doctor huffed. “How hard is it to not wander off?”  
  
Rose smiled at him and picked up the small tray of chips, holding it out to him. “I’m sure that they were just excited by the beauty of Athens. Chip?”  
  
The Doctor smiled at her and took a chip from the tray. “Thank you,” he said before popping the chip in his mouth. He sighed and shook his head. “You’re right I’m sure. I’m just not certain that they’ll stay out of trouble.”  
  
“Do they have mobiles?” Rose asked as she barely contained a grin, “You could just call them.”  
  
The Doctor chuckled as if enjoying a private joke. “I don’t think that would help, even if either of them had a mobile they aren’t exactly skilled with that technology.”  
  
Rose chuckled, understanding the joke. After all, Jamie was a Scottish highlander from the 18th century and Victoria was much younger than Rose knew her and probably hadn’t learned much about modern technology.   
  
“They’ll wander back I’m sure,” Rose assured him as she picked up another chip.   
  
The Doctor snagged another one himself as he sat down next to Rose and looked over towards the acropolis. They sat in silence for a few minutes and Rose picked up her sketchbook once again. She became aware of the Doctor leaning forward to look at the sketchbook. Normally having someone lean over into her space to watch her draw would bother her, but the usual rules never seemed to affect the Doctor. Rose didn’t mind at all and could smell the faint hint of time that always hung around him.  
  
“Are you an artist professionally?” the Doctor asked her.  
  
“Not professionally,” Rose answered with a smile. “Though I’m flattered you’d even think so. I just enjoy taking a break from my studies.”  
  
“Ah then you are on holiday,” the Doctor observed and Rose wondered what language she was speaking with him.  
  
“Yes,” Rose answered, hoping she had been speaking English, “I’m a student at Cambridge.”  
  
“Wonderful,” the Doctor cheered. “Good for you. What subjects?”  
  
“Computer science and physics,” Rose replied giving him a happy grin of her own. “The school agreed to let me do concurrent.”  
  
“Doctor!” A sudden shout interrupted and the Doctor turned his head quickly towards the shout.   
  
Rose chuckled as a dark-haired man in his twenties rushed up with a much younger Victoria wearing a long skirt with a simple blouse. Both looked out of breath and Jamie had a worried look. The Doctor nodded to them and turned to Rose.  
  
“Lovely speaking with you, my dear,” he said pleasantly. “But it appears that they have indeed wandered back.”  
  
Rose nodded and grinned when the Doctor snagged one last chip before standing up and gesturing to his companions. Unable to resist, Rose waved to Jamie and Victoria before saying, “Nice to meet you as well Doctor.”   
  
The trio rushed off towards the acropolis with Jamie speaking rapidly and quietly with the Doctor while Victoria added a few words here and there. Quickly, Rose pulled out her mobile and took a quick picture for the trio, sending it to Victoria before she could change her mind. Then Rose leaned forward and rested her chin on her hand and contented herself with watching them go. She smiled to herself, it was probably a good thing she saw the acropolis yesterday because she knew that look on the Doctor’s face. Looking back down at her sketchbook, Rose shifted it back into position and resumed her drawing.


	21. Becket Enterprises: Richard Becket

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Twenty-One: Becket Enterprises: Richard Becket   
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
………………………..  
  
Rose Tyler stifled the urge to roll her eyes as she sat in front of her laptop computer, the webcam was on and if she did someone would lecture her for it, probably Barbara. The screen in front of her was filled with small boxes from around the world as the various members of the Companion Club caught up with each other. As usual the third Sunday of the month, February this time was rapidly being consumed by an online conference call.  
  
“Rose I wish you’d let me take a look at that virus that Thane used,” Mel said to her, speaking over Polly.   
  
“UNIT doesn’t want it getting out,” Rose explained, probably for the seventh time since the event in question. “Not even to you. Only Tosh, Malcolm, Kate and I are authorised to work on the Blackout Virus.”  
  
Mel pouted at her through the web connection and several members of the club chuckled at the sight.  
  
“I still can’t believe that I met you in Greece,” Victoria laughed as she shook her head. “It is hard to believe, I don’t remember it at all.”  
  
“Well I try not to be too memorable when I run into the Doctor in his past or his companions,” Rose answered with a shrug. “So I’m not surprised that you don’t remember me. It was nice to see Jamie with how much you, Ben and Polly talk about him.”   
  
“That means that you’ve met the Doctor’s first, second and fifth bodies in addition to this ninth, tenth and eleventh forms,” Jo Jones observed with a curious expression.   
  
“Third too,” Rose said before she thought better of it. Her statement got her more weird looks. “It’s a long story that includes the White Guardian tossing me back in time through a time window and me kicking the Master’s arse.”  
  
“That you’ve never mentioned before,” Barbara observed from her place next to Ian. “How many other adventures have you neglected to tell us?”  
  
“I’m sure we all have things we’ve never told anyone about,” Rose interjected quickly before a scolding could start. “That particular trip was not fun for me at all, not even meeting Jo when she was younger and the Doctor in his third body could make that particular trip fun.”  
  
That statement seemed to soothe everyone and Jo started talking to Victoria about an upcoming trip she was taking to Germany and the two started to make plans to meet for coffee. When they finished their quick chat Ace and Tegan discussed a recent grant application that Tegan had sent into the A Charitable Earth Foundation for a new project in Australia. Rose leaned back in her desk chair and watched the various companions listen to each other or talk. They’d started the call out like any other, talking about the Doctor and various adventures, but they always mellowed down to catching up with each other.   
  
Rose’s mobile began to ring next to her. She pushed back from her laptop and picked up the phone, checking the caller ID which read UNIT. Smiling slightly, Rose flipped open the mobile phone and held it to her ear. She stood up from her chair and walked across the room to get away from Jo’s chatter about her grandchildren.  
  
“This is Tyler,” Rose greeted professionally.  
  
“This is Captain Magambo,” the familiar female voice said on the other end of the line. “We need you to come down to London immediately.”  
  
“What’s happened?” Rose asked as she moved over to the coat rack to grab her shoulder bag and jacket.   
  
“There has been a reappearance of the Blackout Virus,” Magambo informed her calmly, but Rose could detect the underlying urgency in her voice.  
  
“Alright,” Rose agreed, looking over at a clock. “If I leave now I can catch a train into London and that will get me there faster than driving myself, can you have someone pick me up at King’s Cross in an hour and fifteen minutes?”  
  
“We’ll have a car waiting,” Magambo promised.  
  
“I’ll see you soon then,” Rose said before hanging up the phone and stowing it in her shoulder bag. Rose toed out of her slippers and shoved her feet into the boots waiting by the front door. She quickly double checked that she had the sonic pen, her wallet and her phone.  
  
“Rose?” a voice called from the other side of the room, reminding her that she was still on the conference call.   
  
Returning to the laptop, Rose smiled and gave a small wave to everyone. “Sorry, I’ve got to run. UNIT’s called with an emergency.” Before anyone could say anything in response Rose ended the call at her end and shut the computer. She’d hear about her abrupt departure later, most likely from Barbara, but she would just have to deal with it later.  
  
Rose made it to the station just in time to catch the train for King’s Cross which was the fastest of the Cambridge to London trains. The station was remarkably busy for a Sunday morning or at least it seemed that way to Rose as she found a seat, but then she didn’t often travel back and forth to London via trains on Sunday morning. Settling into her seat, Rose sighed as the train pulled away from the station. Now she had an hour to wonder what was going on in London and if the Blackout Virus was, in fact, starting to cause havoc again while she was stuck in transit. Fantastic.   
  
Rose’s mobile rang again about ten minutes later and she quickly pulled it out. Tosh’s name flashed on the screen and Rose smiled in relief as she answered.  
  
“Talk to me Tosh,” Rose greeted cheerfully.  
  
“Have you really been that bored lately?” Tosh asked in mild surprise at Rose’s tone. “Didn’t you just get back from that thing in Egypt and a time cheating vacation in Greece?”  
  
“I’m bored on a train,” Rose defended with a slight pout. “And that vacation was the Doctor’s doing, not mine.” Rose looked around her seat, the train was decently filled, but she had empty space around her. “So what is going on?” Rose questioned in a softer voice.  
  
“One of the technology companies that UNIT uses to disperse alien technology into the market reported this morning that their system was showing symptoms of the Blackout Virus.”  
  
“On a Sunday?” Rose asked.  
  
“Apparently it was the main inventor Richard Becket and he works a lot on weekends.”  
  
“Fair enough,” Rose said. “Is the virus showing up anywhere else?”  
  
“No thank goodness,” Tosh replied with clear relief. “Becket took his system offline just to make sure it couldn’t spread through the internet, but we’re going in to check over everything because that virus had to come from somewhere. You’ll meet us there when you arrive.”  
  
“Benton thinks it Thane doesn’t he?” Rose questioned, rubbing at her eyes.  
  
“He thinks it’s possible,” Tosh admitted carefully. “That’s why he wants you here, just in case.”  
  
“Lovely,” Rose sighed. “Anything else? Any other odd things?”  
  
“Not that we know of yet,” Tosh answered in a rush. “Rose the car is here so I need to go. I’ll see you when you get here.” There was a pause on the other end and then a laugh, “Kate says hi too.” Tosh hung up and Rose stared at the phone for a moment and then down at her watch.   
  
“Great,” she muttered. “Only forty-four minutes to go.” Rose sighed again and really wished she had grabbed her MP3 player.  
  
Forty-five minutes later Rose stepped onto the platform at King’s Cross and tightened her grip on her bag as the crowd surged around her. Rose walked to the end of the platform and let her eyes sweep the area for any sign of a contact. She smiled when she spotted Mickey in street clothing waiting by the entrance. Since he wasn’t in uniform Rose had no qualms about walking up and hugging him.  
  
“Good to see you Rose,” Mickey greeted cheerfully as he released her from the hug. “You look amazing.”  
  
“Flatter,” Rose chuckled. “I look like someone who dressed this morning expecting a lazy Sunday.”  
  
“You make it work,” Mickey assured her as he gestured to an exit. “This way.”  
  
Mickey navigated his way through the crowd with Rose right behind him. The initial rush of bodies quickly dissipated and Rose could see a black SUV with the UNIT logo on the side waiting at the corner up ahead. She didn’t bother waiting for Mickey to open the door even as he moved to do just that and pulled it open herself, sliding into the back seat.  
  
Private Ross smiled at Rose over his shoulder before he turned his attention back to the road. Rose nodded in return to him as Mickey climbed into the passenger seat. She buckled up and tapped her foot as they waited for Ross to be able to pull away from the curb. Soon enough they were on their way.  
  
“Anything else you boys can tell me?” Rose questioned once they were in traffic.  
  
“I’m afraid not much,” Mickey said as he looked over his shoulder at her. “The name of the place we’re heading is Becket Enterprises, it’s a small technology firm that UNIT uses to put alien technology into the mainstream. According to the Captain, it’s a relatively new one which UNIT has only been working with for about a year, but so far it has been working well. Richard Becket, the founder and owner is some kind of genius and my age. Today he reported that when he came into the office to work on a project that the servers and all computers in the office were showing signs of the Blackout Virus.” Mickey shrugged, “That’s all I know. After that, we were ordered to come and collect you to join the UNIT science team in checking everything over.”  
  
“Do you think it could be Thane?” Private Ross asked, glancing at Rose with the mirror.  
  
“I’m not sure,” Rose admitted. “After last time I’d imagine that the Judoon would keep him in a much better prison and it was only a few months ago.” Rose shook her head, “On the other hand I can’t say it isn’t him yet.”  
  
They fell into silence for a few minutes until Rose decided to ignore formal protocol and started chatting with the two privates about their personal lives. Mickey’s classes were still going very well and Ross was apparently recently engaged. For a moment it seemed like Ross was going to ask about Egypt, but caught himself before he could complete the question, something Rose was grateful for. She still didn’t know why Apep couldn’t attack her and when she’d asked the Doctor he’d refused to answer with the excuse of ‘timelines’ and with the death of the Colonel and so many of Egyptian’s UNIT division it wasn’t a happy topic for Rose.  
  
The car came to a stop in front of a five-story relatively new building in an area of London that Rose didn’t recognise. A sign in the front indicated that this was Becket Enterprises and Rose quickly climbed out of the car. Glancing around, Rose noted the UNTI scientific mobile unit parked alongside the building with several other UNIT vehicles.   
  
A moment later a female private that Rose did not know stepped out of the front door and nodded to her. “Welcome Miss Tyler, Captain Magambo is waiting for you inside.”  
  
Nodding, Rose moved forward and gave Mickey and Ross a little wave over her shoulder. They stepped into the lobby which was a large open space with security card scanners at the door. A UNIT guard nodded to them and waved them through after tapping a card against the reader. Another guard was sitting behind the front desk and also nodded to them. The room itself was sleek and metal with a simplistic yet elegant feeling to it. For a newer company the place screamed money and success, but then Rose didn’t really pay much attention to things like the stock market beyond checking the income for her trust fund. Sharon was the most financial savvy of Rose’s friends.  
  
The lift dinged at the far side of the room and Captain Magambo stepped out with a tall man a few years older than Rose with dark brown hair and green eyes. He looked over at Rose and smiled at her before returning his attention to Captain Magambo who was speaking to him. Rose studied the man as they moved over to her. He was dressed in slacks with a dress shirt, but the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and had a key card hanging from a lanyard around his neck.  To be honest Rose noticed that he was very attractive and walked confidently toward her.  
  
Captain Magambo paused in front of Rose and nodded in greeting to her. “Miss Tyler this is Richard Becket.”   
  
Becket smiled again at Rose and held out his hand to her. Rose shook it quickly and returned the smile with one of her own. “It’s nice to meet you, Miss Tyler,” Becket told her warmly. “Thank you for coming.”  
  
“Rose if you please,” she told him quickly.  
  
“Then please just call me Rich or Richard,” he replied as he released her hand. “If you’ll follow me I’ll show you to the others in the server room.”  
  
Rose nodded and glanced over at Captain Magambo who had made her over to the security desk and was speaking with the guard. Richard turned back to the lift and Rose moved to follow him. He swiped the key card through another scanned and pressed one of the keys.  
  
“Thank you for coming” Richard breathed with a  grateful smile. “I don’t have high clearance at UNIT, but from the little, I do know you are apparently the best.”  
  
“That’s just the rumours talking,” Rose told him quickly.  
  
He chuckled and looked back over at her. “Attractive, modest and if your enrollment at Cambridge indicates anything intelligent.”  
  
“Thank you,” Rose replied blushing slightly. “I’m seeing someone,” she said quickly and a bit nervously.  
  
Richard’s smile dimmed slightly, but he nodded in understanding. “Well then, please just take that remark as a compliment and not an attempt to flirt.”  
  
“Course,” Rose said with a relieved nod. She was saved from having to say anything else by the lift doors opening to the computer server room where Malcolm was leaning over Tosh’s shoulder to look at her laptop.


	22. Becket Enterprises: Flash Point

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Twenty-Two: Becket Enterprises: Flash Point  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
…………………  
  
Malcolm quickly looked over at Rose as she walked into the room with a wide smile on his face. As usual, he didn’t worry about maintaining any sense of protocol and moved across the room to hug Rose tightly. Smiling, Rose returned the hug and quietly teased Malcolm.  
  
“You saw me last month,” she reminded him in a teasing tone.  
  
“And now I’m seeing you again,” Malcolm replied cheerfully as he released her and stepped back. He nodded to Richard. “I see you’ve met our secret weapon.”  
  
“Secret weapon?” Rose asked raising an eyebrow.  
  
“Oh yes,” Malcolm replied cheerfully. “You have one of the best success records in UNIT and favour science over traditional military tactics.” Malcolm grinned wider, “You do the Science Division proud.”  
  
Rose smiled and nodded, but looked past Malcolm to Tosh who was watching them with a smile. “How much coffee has he had?” Rose asked her.  
  
Tosh chuckled and turned back to her laptop as she answered, “Far too much and Kate is getting more for him.”  
  
“Oh dear,” Rose teased with a wink to Malcolm before she walked over to Tosh. She gave the Asian woman a quick hug and examined the code in the computer.  
  
“Blackout virus?” Rose verified.  
  
“Yeah,” Tosh confirmed with a nod. “But it hasn’t left the building, the replication sequence is gone.”  
  
“Really?” Rose questioned as she sat down next to Tosh. “Why would someone remove the replication sequence? That’s part of what made it so dangerous.”  
  
“Exactly why we are concerned,” Kate Stewart offered as she entered the room via the lift with a tray of coffee. A UNIT guard with a car key nodded to everyone before the lift closed. Kate set the tray on the centre table and smiled at Rose. “Welcome to the party.”  
  
“Some party,” Rose said as she glanced around, but she couldn’t help but smile at Kate. Standing up, Rose quickly hugged the older blonde woman before asking, “Do we have any theories as to how the virus got into Becket Enterprise’s server and why?”  
  
“Nothing yet,” Malcolm answered as he joined them. “The security footage has been examined several times, but no one who isn’t authorised has gotten into the building.”  
  
Rose turned to look over at Richard and asked, “Is it possible that the server was hacked from outside?”  
  
“No,” Richard told her shaking his head at the question. “This holds sensitive information about UNIT so it can only be accessed by two direct lines in the building, in here or my office.”  
  
“And you’re certain that no unauthorised access has occurred?” Rose questioned.  
  
“Nothing came up,” Richard said shifting his weight slightly, “But I’m about to go upstairs and manually check all of the access records to make sure. It might have been possible for someone to hide their access on the surface level, but my personal machine tracks if the lift opens down here or if my computer is used.” Richards looked at the others who were still studying the modified virus. “If you like to join me I could use another set of eyes checking things.”  
  
Rose glanced over at Malcolm who gave a quick nod as he sipped from his newest cup of coffee. Tosh and Kate were speaking quietly while Kate wrote down a few things on a notebook. Looking back at Richard, Rose nodded and said, “Alright then. Lead the way.”  
  
Richard had to use his card key twice more to access the upper floor of the building and they had to stop to send a UNIT guard down to the server room with one of the keys that Becket Enterprises had provided. Rose sort of wanted on herself, not because it was really vital or anything like that, but it looked a bit important to be swiping the cards to unlock doors and security systems. She smiled to herself at the thought as Richard used the key one last time to open his personal office.  
  
It was spacious room and nicely decorated, but rather impersonal Rose observed as her eyes swept the room. There were no photos, silly little knick-knacks or even messy notes on the desk. But maybe he had cleaned it up to look as professional as possible when UNIT arrived given that there was a potential security breach and his was a new company working with them.  
  
“Alright,” Richard said with a smile as he moved around the desk and pulled out the keyboard tray. “Let’s see what we’ve got.”  
  
Rose pulled a chair around so she could sit next to Richard as he pulled up a long list of entry codes, dates and names. She remained silent as Richard started scrolling through each entry one at a time as her eyes scanned for anything unusual.  
  
“So do you like Cambridge?” Richard asked.  
  
“Yes,” Rose answered, starting a little. “Did you attend Uni?”  
  
“No,” Richard replied with a chuckle. “I was a teenage hacker who got into far too much trouble. That’s actually part of how I found out about aliens and UNIT.”  
  
“Really?” Rose asked with a hint of surprise.  
  
“A few months back I was working in a garage when I found plans in a government database for a new computer processor.” Richard shrugged, “I managed to build the thing and UNIT was impressed.”  
  
“I’m surprised I didn’t hear about that,” Rose remarked.  
  
“I was living in New York City at the time,” Richard explained. “So it was the US branch that came knocking on my door.” He glanced over at her with a charming smile. “So when they agreed to help me get started in creating modified alien technology and getting a company set up I decided to return to my hometown.”  
  
“So you’re a Londoner?” Rose questioned with a curious tilt of her head. “I can’t place your accent.”  
  
“My family was pretty bottom of the barrel,” Richard replied calmly. “I moved a lot growing up so my accent is a bit of mix and then I lived in the states for several years.” He looked over at Rose again. “Now you’re fairly obvious Miss Cockney.”  
  
“Born and breed,” Rose laughed before turning her eyes back to the computer screen. “I’ll be honest I’m not sure what I should be looking for.”  
  
Richard laughed warmly and pointed at the right side of the screen. “This is the official records that the computer pulled up this morning,” he explained and then pointed the left side. “And this are the locked backup copy kept on my private server. I’m hoping that whoever uploading the Blackout virus modified the master version, but missed the private server copy.”  
  
“Right,” Rose said blushing slightly. “So something that doesn’t match up is all we’re looking for, I was thinking it was more complex.”  
  
Richard chuckled, “Usually it is, but today not so much.” Then he stopped and pointed at an entry. “Here is something odd,” he observed. “This was accessed with my key coding, but I wasn’t in the building.”  
  
“Are you certain,” Rose asked as her eyes scanned the entry.  
  
“Positive,” Richard said with a nod. “And look at this, it doesn’t show up on the master list so it was edited out.”  
  
“Can you see if they access anything other than the server room?” Rose asked.  
  
Richard nodded quickly and started typing in a protocol and his key code number into the computer. He frowned when another entry popped up.  
  
“What is that?” Rose questioned quickly, a bit worried by Richard’s cheerful manner vanishing.  
  
“It’s one of the labs,” Richard told her as he pushed his chair back to stand. “We’re working on some prototypes of energy cells from the Tervtian ship in there.”  
  
“Dangerous?” Rose asked sharply.  
  
“I wouldn’t think so,” Richard hesitated, but as he looked over and saw Rose’s tense expression he swallowed. “But almost anything can become dangerous. We’d better check it out.”  
  
Rose fully expected Richard to push away from the desk, but instead, he brought up the security camera and entered a series of passwords. A moment later the screen was filled with the image of a standard lab. The camera was at an angle near the ceiling and looking down at a work table in the large main area with bit and pieces of machines on it. Several smaller rooms could be seen with the camera off the main area. Richard hit another set of keys and the angle changed to another camera. This time Rose could see a compact rectangular device sitting on one of the worktables. The box itself glowed slightly with a few tubes showing on the side. Around it were a few smaller devices that she couldn’t quite see from their current angle.  
  
“That the energy cell?” Rose questioned.  
  
“Yeah,” Richard confirmed in a low tone. “It’s been redesigned, but that’s it.” He huffed softly and zoomed the camera in on the device. “It looks normal.”  
  
“Was it put away?” Rose asked, leaning forward a little more. “Should it even be out?”  
  
“Yes actually,” Richard said with a nod and he pointed to one of the small devices. “These are reading its stasis energy output over the course of a few days.” Richard ran a hand through his dark hair and rubbed his neck in frustration. “Everything is exactly where it should be.”  
  
“So why does something feel off,” Rose finished with a nod.  
  
Richard nodded in agreement and stood up from his desk. “Let’s make sure we’re seeing what we think we’re seeing,” he suggested as he pulled out his card key and headed for the door.  
  
Rose glanced at the image of the device one more time before she followed Richard out into the hall and back to the lift. Richard’s body was tense as he pulled out his key card and activated the lift to take them back to the lobby. He tapped his fingers impatiently while the lift moved and Rose gave him a small, what she hoped was a calming smile. Richard looked at her and the tension eased slightly and he managed to give her a tiny smile in return.  
  
“Worrying doesn’t help,” Rose pointed softly before the lift opened.  
  
“Perhaps not,” Richard muttered in agreement. “But it’s bloody difficult not to.”   
  
Captain Magambo must have read Richard’s expression because she quickly crossed the hall with Mickey and a private that Rose had never met, but seen around. She thought his name might be Marks. A quick glance at his name tag when they got close verified this.  
  
“I’m afraid Captain that one of the labs has been accessed,” Richard announced in a tight voice. “According to the security cameras, everything is in order.”  
  
Rose stayed quiet as Richard identified the lab that had been accessed by their unknown visitor on the small map that the Captain was carrying. Magambo nodded sharply in understanding and gestured to Mickey and Private Marks to follow her. The five of them reentered the lift and Rose stood with Richard as he used his key card to access the proper floor. The air in the lift was tense as everyone stayed focused on their own thoughts. Rose was wondering, not for the first time today if Thane had really returned or someone was just making use of the virus. It wasn’t hard to believe that someone could have managed to safely contain the Blackout virus and was using it to get information they wanted. It could be Torchwood or even a private company after the secrets of Becket Enterprises.  
  
Rose forced herself out of her thoughts as the lift dinged softly as they reached the correct floor. Richard stepped out first into the sterile grey hallways and gestured toward a door on the far side of the corridor. Magambo nodded and stalked towards the doorway quickly. Joining the captain at the doorway, Richard looked through the small window careful and visibly relaxed.  
  
“Everything looks to be in place,” he declared carefully after his inspection. He slid his key card through the security scanned at the right side of the door.  
  
“Wait out here,” Magambo ordered to Richard before looking over at Rose. “Just to be sure.”   
  
Mickey and his fellow private raised their weapons and stepped into the room slowly. Marks stepped to point as Mickey moved along behind him. Rose peeked around Captain Magambo and frowned slightly to herself. Everything in the lab seemed to be placed exactly as it looked on the camera footage, but surely something had been removed or altered in some way. She glanced over at Richard to find him watching the movements of the soldiers carefully. Looking back to Mickey, Rose nibbled at her lip with worry. Rose wanted to move closer, but Captain Magambo remained firmly in her way. Everyone was still as Marks stepped closer to the energy cell.  
  
“Becket, does it look any different?” Magambo questioned.  
  
“Not from here,” Richard replied, “But I’ll need to get closer to be sure.  
  
“Nothing seems out of place ma’am,” Private Marks called from in the room. He then took a step back towards the door and there was a soft click. Rose tensed as the energy cell began to emit a high-pitched whining sound.  
  
“Get out of there!” Richard shouted next to her. “It’s not supposed to do that.”  
  
“Mickey!” Rose shouted in alarm, taking an involuntary step forward.  
  
The whine began higher and almost painful as the device suddenly started to spark electric blue. A hand grabbed hers and Rose felt herself being pulled harshly to the side. She collided with Richard’s chest and was spun back against the wall just as a flash of electric blue light exploded from the doorway. Rose slammed her eyes shut as several horrible screams echoed in the space.   
  
Silence descended as quickly as the chaos had started and Rose’s eyes snapped open. Her back was against the wall to the left of the doorway with a panting Richard leaning over her protectively. Their eyes met for a split second before Richard groaned and nearly collapsed on top of her.   
  
Rose caught his weight as gently as she could but tensed when her hand slid over what felt like flaking paint. Richard gasped in pain and Rose lowered him to the ground quickly. Once he was sitting, Rose’s eyes caught sight of a terrible burn running down the side of his body that had been exposed to the blast. His right shoulder and down the side of his body were smoking and the skin was a dark red and already peeling.  
  
“Oh god,” Rose gasped as Richard lost consciousness.   
  
Jumping to her feet, Rose lunged towards the doorway as she screamed, “Mickey!”


	23. Becket Enterprises: Radiation Alert

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Twenty-Three: Becket Enterprises: Radiation Alert  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
……………………..  
  
Jumping to her feet, Rose lunged towards the doorway as she screamed, “Mickey!”  
  
An arm wrapped around her out of nowhere and pulled her back sharply. Rose struggled against the grip for a moment in a blind panic to get to Mickey before her senses caught up and she became aware of UNIT staff rushing around her. A pair of medics were already gently shifting Richard onto a stretcher and Captain Magambo was being moved from the doorway.  
  
Turning her head, Rose relaxed slightly as she caught sight of Private Ross’ worried, but determined expression. She stopped trying to move towards the doorway and Ross released her slowly, keeping an eye on her as if he didn’t trust her. Swallowing, Rose forced herself to step back from the doorway even as she noted that none of the soldiers were entering the room just yet. A warm hand on her shoulder made Rose turn to the right. Kate was giving her a firm, but caring expression.  
  
“Let them do their jobs,” Kate told her gently. “And we’ll do ours.”  
  
Rose managed a nod before she allowed Kate to pull her further back from the room. She noted as they moved away that the light in the room had lessened and now there was just a low blue glow coming from the device.   
  
“Whatever it was it seems to have just been an energy burst,” Kate observed as they walked to a table that was being set up with soldiers. Tosh and Malcolm were already opening up metal suitcases with equipment tucked inside. Malcolm looked up at Rose with soft eyes but said nothing after giving her a quick nod. Tucking some hair behind her ear, Rose moved around behind Tosh to look at the sensor arrays that she was pointing towards the doorway.  
  
“There’s still some kind of radiation,” Tosh observed after a moment. “Not any sort that we have ever seen on Earth, but it definitely there.”  
  
The sound of more people moving towards them made Rose look up and she sighed in relief as three figures in radiation suits walked towards the doorway with hand scanners.   
  
“Thank goodness we had the mobile unit here,” Malcolm murmured softly to Rose who nodded.  
  
“It’s still going off,” Tosh announced a moment later.  
  
“Are you certain?” Malcolm questioned as he shifted to study the readouts that Tosh was tracking.  
  
“Not as strong, not nearly,” Tosh answered. “But I’m tracking regular low bursts of energy every thirty seconds.”  
  
They all glanced at each other and Rose felt bile rise into her throat. “Can we get a camera into the room? Or send the people in the radiation suits in?”  
  
“A camera we can try,” Malcolm agreed as he looked over at the three figures who were carefully measuring radiation around the door. “But I can’t send those men in without having an idea if they are safe or not.” Rose swallowed and nodded despite the desire to protest. This wasn’t the time and she was emotionally compromised. She was, in fact, a little surprised that Malcolm hadn’t ordered her removed. “Toshiko,” Malcolm called, “Are those burst still consistent?”  
  
“Yes,” Tosh answered. “But I can report that none of the radiation seems to be getting through the lab walls,” she reported. “It’s possible that it can only affect organic matter and not metal.”  
  
“That is possible,” Kate observed. “In explosions, it is the shockwave that causes most of the damage and radiation is an aftereffect.”   
  
“Have a sensor put in the same protective covering as the radiation suits,” Malcolm told Kate. “Let’s see if sending people in is safe.”  
  
Kate nodded and turned to walk toward Ross quickly. Rose followed her movements with her eyes for a short time before she turned back to the sensors.”  
  
“Any thoughts on where it is still releasing energy?” Rose asked as she pulled out the sonic pen. “Maybe we can shut it down.”  
  
“Almost there,” Toshiko replied. “If we can get a camera inside then maybe this can work.”  
  
Rose nodded and tried to contain her nervous excitement. Turning she caught sight of one of the soldiers bringing a package towards them. He handed it to Malcolm who relaxed slightly and nodded.   
  
“We just need to toss this into the room,” Malcolm announced as he motioned one of the men in radiation suits over to him. As he handed off the package Rose noted the rope tied to one end that the man took a hold of. Rose watched silently as the man, she couldn’t tell who it was, walked over near the doorway, set the package on the floor and gently kicked it into the room.  
  
“A few minutes should tell us if we can go in,” Malcolm told Rose gently.  
  
“I’m alright,” Rose said quickly, worried at the tone of Malcolm’s voice.  
  
Malcolm nodded to Rose, but she could see that he was still worried. Instead of saying anything or crowding Tosh, Rose moved over with Kate to wait for the results. She leaned against the far wall and crossed her arms across her chest. The older blonde looked over at her with a gentle smile but said nothing and Rose found herself grateful for the silence. Rose closed her eyes and took a few slow breaths to calm down. Briefly, she thought about calling the Doctor, but she had nothing absolute she could tell him yet. Rose forced herself to let out another slow breath, listening to the movement of UNIT personnel in the crowded hallway. Everyone was jammed on one side of the doorway, everyone unwilling to cross in front of it. Rose was briefly grateful to Richard for pulling her to the proper side so she wasn’t trapped. Of course, she was grateful to Richard for helping her. Opening her eyes, Rose scanned the hallway and noted that all but two of the medics had left the area.  
  
“Do we know the status of Richard and Magambo?” Rose asked Kate softly.  
  
“There isn’t anything new,” Kate answered in a low voice, “But when they left the medics were saying the damage wasn’t permanent.”  
  
“Those looked like third or fourth-degree burns,” Rose said. “How is that not permanent?”  
  
“UNIT has developed some very effective treatments,” Kate said gently. “We have some things that aren’t available to the public. Something we got from the Tervtians I believe.”  
  
“Is there a reason they aren’t available yet?” Rose questioned, glad for the distraction.  
  
“Apparently there isn’t a simple procedure for producing them yet,” Kate sighed and nodded to the hallway. “Becket Enterprises is working on that as well I believe.”   
  
“Did UNIT hand over all the Tervtian stuff to them or something,” Rose muttered.  
  
“Maybe,” Kate answered with a slight smile. “There is a limit to how much time the UNIT science team can devote to such things around dealing with active threats. Geneva thought it was a good time to start using outside intelligence.”   
  
“I’m not sure about that,” Rose admitted. “Before I’d say it was a good idea, but now…” Rose nodded to the doorway, “Maybe it is too exposed.”  
  
“There are bound to be some growing pains,” Kate reminded her gently. “But UNIT is trying to improve itself. Science leads.”  
  
Rose looked over at Kate with a quizzical expression at Kate’s words. “What do you want for UNIT?” Rose asked quietly.  
  
“I’d like to see it led by scientists,” Kate admitted with a smile. “Not just our sort of scientists, but linguists, anthropologists, biologists or botanists. People who can look at something new with wonder and give it a chance.” Kate stilled and chuckled. “You’re deceptively easy to talk to Rose.”  
  
“Part of my charm,” Rose replied with a smile. “I knew there was a reason that I liked you.”  
  
A sudden burst of activity near the life made Rose straighten and push away from the wall. General Benton stepped out of the lift and quickly saluted the three men standing nearby. He turned and walked straight for Malcolm.  
  
“Doctor Taylor,” he greeted shortly. “Do we know the status of the men who were in the room?”   
  
“No sir,” Malcolm told him regretfully.  
  
“Is there any chance they are alive?” Benton questioned.  
  
Malcolm wilted a little and swallowed. “Not much of one sir,” he answered. “But the radiation seems not to pass through metal. If they took cover under the table or behind a shelf then they may have survived. Since the first blast, there have been small bursts which prevent us from entering the room directly.” Malcolm gestured towards the door. “We have a sensor in the room now to determine if we can enter in radiation suits.”  
  
“Good,” Benton said with a nod. He looked around at the assembled UNIT personnel. “On my way here I was briefed on Captain Magambo’s status, she is stable and regained consciousness for a few minutes before she was put under for surgery.”  
  
There wasn’t a cheer from those assembled, but some of the tension did ease. A moment later one of the men in radiation suits pulled the sensor out of the room and picked it up after scanning it with his handheld. Rose and Kate both moved over to Malcolm as he accepted the sensor package from one of the soldiers. He unwrapped it gently with gloved hands and set it down next to the computers. Holding her breath, Rose watched as Malcolm checked the levels the sensor had recorded as opposed to the computers.   
  
“It doesn’t shield against all of the radiation,” he announced a moment later. “But enough of it that they can rush in quickly to check for our men.” Malcolm checked a few more things. “Three minutes top before the energy pulses will become too much.”  
  
“Go,” Benton ordered quickly. “Set an alarm,” he ordered another soldier. “Two minutes and then you are out.”  
  
The three men in radiation suits nodded and waited for a signal when the alarm was set. They stepped through the open doorway and Rose heard Tosh gasp softly. Turning quickly to the woman Rose leaned over and examined Tosh’s screen. The energy pulses had dropped off suddenly.  
  
“What does that mean?” Tosh asked herself quietly before she tapped Malcolm’s arm and directed his attention to the screen.  
  
“When they stepped inside the first time something went off,” Kate answered slowly in a tight voice. “What if it wasn’t a normal trap, but some kind of biological scanner?”   
  
“General!” Malcolm shouted quickly. “Unknown reaction is taking place. They need to get out!”  
  
Organised chaos was the only way to describe what happened next as Benton barked his orders and shouts answered from inside the room. Rose stopped breathing as a moment later the first of the men emerged holding one end of a long piece of metal with a body on it. He was followed out of the room by the other two men each holding a corner of the large piece of metal. The body was badly burned on its back, but Rose could see the unburned front side of the body, the man had light skin. Rose tensed as the medics rushed forward to check Marks as the men in radiation suits held the remains of one of the shelves steady.  
  
“He’s alive,” one of the medics announced. “We need to get him to a hospital immediately.”  
  
Rose couldn’t move. She wanted to yell at them to get Mickey out of the room, rush forward into the room herself or start crying. Hopefully, it was professionalism or the realisation that it wouldn’t help Mickey. She watched carefully as the medics applied some kind of salve to the charred skin of Marks’ back and his lack of response. They carefully moved him onto a proper stretched and a few moments later he was on a portal respirator. As the medics vanished with Marks into the lift things became to move again as everyone cleared back from the laboratory.   
  
Rose released a breath that she hadn’t known she’d been holding and returned to Toshiko to look over her shoulder. “When they go back in?” Rose questioned before her eyes took in the levels of radiation. “Bloody hell,” Rose breathed in terror.  
  
“What is happening!?” Benton demanded.  
  
“We need to go!” Kate snapped as she closed one of the cases. “Take the stairs and not the lift! Move!” She ordered sharply.  
  
Benton didn’t react for a moment but nodded at the command. “Upstairs!” He ordered sending those still in the hallway to start moving. Benton looked back at Malcolm. “What is going on?”  
  
“Something else is happening,” Tosh swallowed and added, “I think this weapon has a second stage and I’m not sure how big it is.”  
  
“I’ve got another man in there,” Benton said urgently.  
  
“I know,” Tosh answered softly. “But you may be about to lose a lot more.”  
  
Rose made a soft noise and took an involuntary step towards the room before Benton caught her arm. Pulling her after him, Benton headed for the staircase. She didn’t fight his grip despite the desire to help Mickey but wasn’t actively trying to leave. They all moved quickly for the staircase, but Rose saw Benton look back towards the lab and frown. Benton’s expression hardened and he marched towards her and gripped her arm before leading her up the stairs.  
  
Rose pulled away from Benton as soon as they reached the upper level. Tosh and Malcolm had already rushed to the security cameras as Kate set up the sensor stations once again. She tossed Rose a few sensors which she turned and tossed down the stairs, ignoring Benton’s protest. Joining Kate, Rose peered at the radiation levels which continued to rise.  
  
“Are we going to be safe here?” Rose questioned.  
  
“For now,” Kate said softly. “But be ready to move.”  
  
“This is a populous area of London,” Rose reminded her quietly. “This just became a crisis.”   
  
“Can you disarm this with the sonic pen?” Kate asked.  
  
“No,” Rose answered with a shake of her head. “I don’t know enough about this to use the pen softly. For all I know I could cause the thing to blow up.”  
  
“I see,” Kate sighed as she watched the radiation levels. “Rose I don’t think that-”  
  
“Please don’t,” Rose interrupted quickly. “I’m going to hope until I know that he’s…” Rose swallowed. “I’ll be right back.”  
  
Stepping back from Kate, Rose found an empty corridor off of the lobby where she could easily regroup with the others. Pulling out her mobile, Rose pressed one and lifted it to her ear waiting for the Doctor or Donna to answer the phone. Rose waited as her mobile rang and made a soft cry when there was a beep indicating to leave a message.  
  
“Doctor,” Rose choked out. “I need you on Earth. 19 February 2006 at Becket Enterprises in London. Please,” she added in a whisper. “I really need you here right now.”  
  
She closed her mobile phone gently and took in a deep breath as she glanced around, hoping for the TARDIS to appear. Back out in the hall, she could still hear orders being given and people rushing around. Shivering, Rose hugged herself quickly. She didn’t even know if Mickey was still alive in that bloody room. Shaking her head, Rose forced herself to leave that thought.  
  
“He’s alive,” she told herself. “He’s got to be.”  
  
Rose waited in the corridor for another moment before taking a shaky breath. She turned to head back into the lobby but stopped when the wheezing sound of the TARDIS echoed in the corridor. Spinning, Rose turned towards the sound and nearly sobbed in relief as the TARDIS began to materialise. As the door opened, Rose just stopped herself from launching herself forward to hug her significant other when his previous form stepped out. The blue-eyed Doctor looked at Rose with a curious and worried expression.  
  
“You called?” he questioned.  
  
“Yeah,” Rose managed, “Yes I did.”


	24. Beckett Enterprises: When in Doubt Sonic It

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Twenty-Four: Becket Enterprises: When in Doubt Sonic It  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
…………………..  
  
The Doctor stared at her for a long moment taking her expression and posture with a single searching glance. He nodded to himself, forced a small smile and stepped forward. “Come here,” he said gently.  
  
Rose was a bit surprised as the Doctor opened his arms, but accepted the friendly gesture. She stepped into the embrace and wrapped her arms around him for a second longer than would have been considered merely friendly before she managed to relax.  
  
“Right then,” The Doctor forced out as he released Rose and stepped back. “What’s the crisis?”   
  
“A piece of alien technology was being reconstructed here,” Rose explained as calmly as she could. “It was a Tervtian energy cell, but it was altered somehow and went through a radiation explosion. As far as we can tell it is still intact in the lab, but the radiation levels are building.” Rose swallowed, “The people who were caught in the first flash explosion were all badly burned.”  
  
The Doctor’s eyes scanned Rose quickly and she managed a watery smile. “I was pulled out of the way,” she assured him softly. “I’m fine.”  
  
“Are the other’s alive?” the Doctor asked as he studied her face.  
  
“The ones we have now are,” Rose answered even as her throat constricted. “But Mickey was still in the lab when the radiation started to build… we couldn’t get to him.”  
  
Rose closed her eyes as the tear began to well up at the horrible thoughts that became to race through her mind. She took a difficult breath as terrible images of Mickey’s burned corpse or disintegrating body flashed behind her closed eyes.   
  
“Rose,” the Doctor called softly and gently in front of her. She felt the weight of his hand on her shoulder. “Rose,” he called again, sounding unsure.  
  
Forcing her eyes, open Rose looked up into the Doctor’s face. He was standing right in front of her and his expression was worried, determined and a little lost. She sniffed and nodded to him. “I’m alright,” Rose assured him as she brought up a hand and brushed away some tears. “Let’s just-”  
  
Then the Doctor surprised her by drawing her against him in a tight hug. Rose breathed in the smell of his leather coat, the slight smell of grease and the strange blend of other scents that surrounded the man. Her body relaxed against him and she took another breath to strengthen herself before pulling back.  
  
“Okay,” the Doctor said with a nod. “Let’s go take care of this.” He took Rose’s hand in his as they started to walk back to the main room where UNIT was waiting.  
  
No one said anything about Rose’s red eyes when she and the Doctor joined Malcolm and the stern look on the Doctor’s face cut back any questions or greeting he might have gotten otherwise. Benton just nodded in greeting to the man and started rapidly telling the Doctor everything UNIT knew about the building. Looking around, Rose noticed that Tosh was missing.   
  
“Kate?” Rose asked quietly as she leaned over to whisper to the blonde woman who was watching the Doctor with interest. As Kate’s eye swung to her Rose was surprised at the affection in them, but asked. “Where’s Tosh?”  
  
“She’s retrieving the sonic modulator,” Kate answered in an equally low voice. “She thought that it could be used to cancel out some of the radiation by altering the frequency of the electromagnetic particles.”  
  
“Oh,” Rose replied simply, feeling a little stupid.  
  
“I don’t know much about radiation either,” Kate confided to her with a small smile as they moved back to give the Doctor some space to question Benton and Malcolm.   
  
Rose let herself be led over to the security booth and handed a cup of tea. It wasn’t very good, but the warm liquid soothed Rose’s throat and she allowed herself to relax slightly. Their best chance was here now, even if it hadn’t been the Doctor she’d expected.  
  
“This will start some new rumours,” Kate’s voice offered with an amused tone.  
  
“What will?” Rose asked as she looked over at her older friend.  
  
“He came when you called,” Kate told her with a smile. “He isn’t exactly known for that.”  
  
“I was pretty upset in the message,” Rose admitted. “It probably worried him hearing me like that.”  
  
“At least it was a version that knows you,” Kate observed calmly a moment later. “Could have been confusing otherwise.”  
  
Rose actually smiled a little as her eyes went back to the blue-eyed Doctor who was still questioning Malcolm about the situation. She knew that she really should be over there helping, but was also grateful to Kate for pulling her away for a few moments.  
  
“The TARDIS handles the phone,” Rose said with a soft smile. “He mentioned that to me once when I asked if I had to worry about calling up his first body.” Rose chuckled. “That would have been horrible and funny at the same time.” Rose looked over at the blue-eyed Doctor, “But I wasn’t expecting her to pick this one.”  
  
“He still came when you called,” Kate observed.  
  
“He comes when I really need him, but timelines…” Rose trailed off and looked back at Kate as something clicked into place. Maybe it was what Kate had said earlier about science leading UNIT into the future, the way Benton acted around her or the way she had been watching the Doctor with almost affection.  Whatever the reason, it finally clicked into place and Rose actually smiled. “But he doesn’t always come when your father calls I suppose,” Rose observed.  
  
Kate blinked at Rose and then slowly smiled. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. Did Spock tell you that?”  
  
“No,” Rose said. “Lots of little things,” she added. “But mostly from science leads and how you’re looking at the Doctor right now.”  
  
Kate opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it and chuckled. “I was older when Dad started telling me about the Doctor, but it was always clear that Dad considered him a dear friend. As for the science leads… well, Dad learned that from an old friend.” Kate closed her eyes and shook her head. “Malcolm and Benton know of course,” she said. “But I’d rather the others didn’t.”  
  
“I get it,” Rose told her quickly with a nod. “I was hired because of the Doctor,” Rose shook her head sadly as her thoughts turned sad again. “Connections are hard to overcome,” Rose smiled at Kate. “No one will hear from me.”  
  
“Ready to join the others?” Kate questioned. “See if we can help?  
  
“Yeah,” Rose sighed as she set down the cool tea. “Thank you.”  
  
As they were walking over to join the Doctor the front door opened and Tosh walked into the foyer with two UNIT soldiers and the metal case that the sonic modulator was kept it. The Doctor looked up at them as Toshiko approached him a little nervously.   
  
“Toshiko right?” the Doctor asked, clearly remembering the woman.  
  
“Yes,” Tosh answered with a nervous little smile. “Hello, Doctor.”  
  
“What’s this?” the Doctor asked as he examined the case which she set down next to the computers.  
  
Malcolm’s hero worship of the Doctor kicked in. “This is our sonic modulator Doctor,” Malcolm said as he opened the case and carefully drew out the machine. Cradling it in both hands he nodded proudly to Tosh and said, “Tosh here made the initial working design.”  
  
“Sonic modulator huh,” the Doctor asked as he took it from Malcolm’s hands. “Not bad, you did good on the diode crystal,” the Doctor observed as he inspected the modulator.  
  
“We used Rose’s crystal to artificially grow a similar structure,” Malcolm explained.   
  
The Doctor glanced over at Rose and smiled as she lifted her long chain which held her TARDIS key, biodamper and the crystal pendant he’d given her at the age of eleven. Smiling at her, the Doctor nodded in recognition and then looked over at the radiation readings thoughtfully.  
  
“You were thinking about using the modulator to affect the radiation,” the Doctor guessed with a frown.  
  
“Uh yes,” Tosh suggested slowly. “It might be possible to use the modulator’s frequency to change the electromagnetic nature of the radiation enough to get close.”  
  
“Won’t work,” the Doctor said shortly. “Not with this kind of radiation. I recognise this stuff. It was developed on a planet in the Trisgis system during a war.” The Doctor paused, “They used them as a form of landmine.” The Doctor’s frown deepened. “Thane helped start that war,” he said as he looked over at Benton. “But no sign of him?”  
  
“The use of the Blackout virus was the only tie we found to Thane,” Benton answered, “But can you be sure Doctor?”  
  
“No,” the Doctor answered as he tapped the sonic modulator thoughtfully as he held it in one hand. Rose saw Malcolm watching fearfully, torn between his faith in the Doctor and the possible horror of him dropping the sonic modulator. “But it hardly matters,” the Doctor said finally. A manic smile broke out over his face a moment later. “And if it is based on the landmines then it means that your man might still alive in that lab and that we can turn it off from up here.”  
  
“How?” Tosh asked with wide eyes.  
  
The Doctor turned his manic grin on her and raised the sonic modulator in one hand while pulling out the sonic screwdriver. “The energy cell contains some fragile parts,” the Doctor explained. “Set a high enough frequency and we can cause them to collapse and stop working that should shut it off.”  
  
The Doctor put the sonic modulator down on the table and gestured for the computers to be moved. Malcolm snatched up one of the mobile computers with its sensors from the table while Kate stepped around Rose to pick up the second one. Rose watched them for a moment as they evacuated the expensive equipment away from the Doctor. The Doctor ignored them as he adjusted his sonic screwdriver and held it near the modulator.  
  
“Is this going to damage the building?” Benton asked. “Like that machine of Thane’s in Croydon?”  
  
“Not to the same level,” the Doctor answered quickly as he glanced over at Rose. “From what I heard about it, part of that was the longevity of the signal. If I set this up right then it will be a sharp burst.” The Doctor shrugged, “Might break a few things here and there, but it won’t bring the building down.” The Doctor’s frown returned as he made another adjustment.   
  
Rose stepped forward and pulled out the sonic pen, having a feeling he was about to ask. Sure enough, he straightened up and turned towards her, opened his mouth and then blinked at the sight of the pen already being held out to him. “Good girl,” he said before snatching the pen from her hand.  
  
“You said Mickey might be alive,” Rose asked softly, half afraid of the answer.  
  
“It doesn’t travel through metal well,” the Doctor answered hesitantly. “Good in fields and on roads, but in a lab… if he got behind something then he would have been partially protected. This stuff isn’t exactly like anything you lot are familiar with.”  
  
Rose nodded and clung to the Doctor’s words. If he’d known he wouldn’t get the door then Mickey would have tried to take cover. The lab had lots of tables and shelves and just maybe…. Rose took a breath and focused on the Doctor. He was leaning over the sonic modulator with a look of great concentration, programming in just the right frequency so he could destroy the pieces of the device without hurting anyone. Rose swallowed, she wouldn’t have been able to manage that. She and Tosh would have tried, but without detailed information like what the Doctor had in that impressive brain of his, they would’ve been stuck with trial and error.   
  
“Here Rose,” the Doctor called suddenly. “Hold this.”  
  
Rose moved over to stand right next to the Doctor and took back her sonic pen from him. Grasping her hand, he adjusted the angle of how she held it and activated it again. Rose kept her hand still and level as the Doctor used his own free hand to make another adjustment to the sonic modulator.   
  
 “Here we go,” the Doctor announced before pressing the activation button of the sonic modulator. The loud humming of the sonic device echoed in the marble and metal foyer. Then Rose heard a strange clicking sound before the radio of Benton’s waist suddenly sparked. Around the room, Rose saw other radios spark and the Doctor called out, “Sorry about that.”  
  
The humming stopped a moment later when the Doctor turned off the device. He straightened up and turned to look over at Malcolm who was nervously studying the computer’s readout. The lead scientist’s expression suddenly brightened and he nearly fell over himself as he stood up.   
  
“The radiation just dropped off sir!”  
  
“Good to hear,” Benton replied with relief in his voice. He turned to look at the men waiting in radiation suits. “Go have a look, I’d say to stay in radio contact, but…” Benton looked at his radio and then back at the Doctor.  
  
“Oops,” the Doctor said with a shrug. “Could’ve been the sensors that blew instead.”  
  
Rose looked over to see Malcolm almost hugging the computerise sensor unit and Kate watching with a fond smile. Her eyes returned to the men in the radiation suits as they headed for the staircase. Without the radios, they couldn’t tell them if Mickey was alright.  
  
“Sir if the radiation has dropped then can’t I-” Rose started to ask Benton.  
  
“No,” Benton said firmly. “We don’t know how much of the radiation is going to be retained by materials down there,” Benton continued more gently a moment later. “Let’s avoid unnecessary risks.”  
  
The Doctor watched the exchange silently and Rose sighed but nodded. She slipped the sonic pen back into her ponytail and went over to the Doctor. “No matter what happens to Mickey… thank you for coming,” she told him gratefully.  
  
The Doctor didn’t say anything to her, but crossed his arms and watched the doorway. “He your boyfriend?” the Doctor asked after what seemed like an eternity.  
  
“Mickey?” Rose repeated with wide eyes. The Doctor nodded and Rose chuckled at the thought that he might be jealous. “No,” she answered with a shake of her head. But he’s a good friend.” She paused and swallowed. “Plus he wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for me.”  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
“Mickey grew up with me at the Powell Estates,” Rose explained in a low voice. “He was always like my big brother.” Rose paused,” He was one of the kids that the Piper took.”  
  
The Doctor nodded in understanding. “How did he come to be in UNIT?”  
  
“Horath,” Rose explained. “When Sharon and Shareen couldn’t reach UNIT after I gave the alert they got Mickey to drive them to the academy. After that UNIT hired him on.”  
  
“It’s not your fault,” the Doctor told her gently.  
  
“I know that,” Rose sighed giving him a small smile. “But are you really going to say that you don’t feel guilty when the people you bring into your world get hurt.” The Doctor opened his mouth, but nothing came out. “Same thing for me,” Rose murmured with a sigh. “Fault or not, I still feel responsible.”  
  
The sudden noise of people moving caused Rose’s attention to snap back to the stairwell. The three men were carrying a stretcher carefully.  
  
“He’s alive,” one announced loudly, his voice muffled by the mask, but Rose still heard him. “One of the metal shelves fell over him!”   
  
The medics rushed forward to take Mickey from them. Rose moved forward a few steps to watch as Mickey was rushed out the front door to the UNIT ambulance. Swallowing she turned back to the Doctor who was watching with a gentle smile.  
  
“Go on,” the Doctor urged. “Until next time Rose Tyler.”  
  
Grinning in relief, Rose stepped up the Doctor and leaned up to kiss his cheek. “Until next time Doctor and thank you.”  
  
She turned to find Kate waiting for her. The blonde woman smiled at the Doctor and nodded her thanks to him. “Come on Rose, Malcolm’s ordered me to take you to the hospital.”  
  
“Thank you, Kate,” Rose sighed gratefully as she stepped towards her friend.   
  
She paused ready to introduce Kate, but the older woman shook her head and put a hand on Rose’s shoulder. “Come on hon,” she said. “Let’s go.”  
  
Rose fell silent and let herself be led to the front door. She glanced over her shoulder to see the Doctor bidding a quick goodbye to Benton and heading for the TARDIS.   
  
“Until next time,” she repeated quietly before returning her mind to the task of worrying about Mickey.


	25. Beckett Enterprises: Hospital Visits

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Twenty-Five: Becket Enterprises: Hospital Visits  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
……………………  
  
The military hospital in London that UNIT used was small, but Rose had a good feeling about the place as she watched the staff move about with determined strides. She and Kate were sitting in a small waiting room that was more like a staff break room than anything else. The room had a small tea service table and a strange poster with the words ‘Bad Wolf’ scrawled on the lower right-hand corner which Rose had been trying to ignore for the last half an hour. A hot pot of tea was between them on the small round table that they were seated around. There weren’t words to describe how grateful Rose was for Kate’s presence. Despite the doctors’ last report that Mickey was reacting well to treatment and hadn’t suffered radiation burns to the same intensity as those who caught direct flashes, she still had a nervous knot in her stomach.  
  
“You know in some ways when I first met you, Rose, you reminded me more of the Doctor from Dad’s stories then he did today,” Kate said suddenly, breaking the stillness in the room.  
  
“Today was pretty calm for him,” Rose reminded Kate with a shrug. “And he changes Kate just like any other living being.” Rose grinned at an amusing thought and added, “After all when your Dad met him he was still only a couple of centuries old. He’s a lot older now.”  
  
“His fashion sense wasn’t as bad as Dad described,” Kate remarked with an amused smile.  
  
Rose chuckled and lowered her teacup back to the table. “The jeans, jumper, leather coat and combat boots is a tame and practical look for him,” Rose agreed. “His next body wears a pinstripe suit with a long brown coat that he says Janice Joplin gave him and chucks.” Kate raised an eyebrow at the last part and Rose smiled. “Yeah I know and his eleventh self dresses a bit like the absentminded professor. Suspenders, tweed jacket and bowtie with his crazy fly away hair.”  
  
“What about his twelfth?” Kate asked taking a sip from her tea.  
  
“Even I haven’t met his twelfth self yet,” Rose answered with a small smile. “First, second, third, fifth, ninth, tenth and eleventh, but no twelfth.”  
  
Kate shook her head fondly at Rose and studied the girl for a long moment. She seemed to come to some decision, nodding to herself, but simply asked. “Dad always talked about the Doctor’s second form with fondness. He liked to tell the Yeti story.”  
  
“I met him in Athens,” Rose supplied. “After… well before and after that thing in Egypt.”  
  
“You mentioned that he dropped you off back in time,” Kate said, “But didn’t say much else. Does he do things like that often?”  
  
“I’d had a bad day,” Rose sighed. “He usually doesn’t run the risk of there being two Rose Tylers on Earth, but I knew where I’d be and knew the consequences of not avoiding myself.” Rose laughed and shook her head at the statement. “The things I say.”  
  
“Part of knowing the Doctor,” Kate replied with a soft chuckle of her own. “Dad talks like that sometimes.”  
  
“You didn’t introduce yourself to the Doctor,” Rose observed. “Why not?”  
  
“Didn’t seem like the time,” Kate answered. “He was here because you were upset.”  
  
“He wasn’t-”  
  
“Yes, he was,” Kate countered seriously. “Rose he didn’t come because the world was at stake, he came because someone he cares about called him hurting.” Kate looked right at Rose. “There are a lot of rumours Rose and I’m going to leave it alone because it isn’t really my business, but if you don’t feel that way towards him then you should be careful because it looks like he feels that way towards you.”  
  
Rose blinked in surprise and then smiled softly at Kate. “Are you telling me to be careful for his sake?”  
  
“And if I am?”  
  
“Nothing,” Rose said with a smile. “It’s just a nice surprise to have someone else worrying more about him.”  
  
“You can take care of yourself,” Kate replied with a shrug. “And I don’t doubt that you can hold your own should a relationship ever begin between you.” Kate gave Rose a firm look that made her swallow nervously. “Whenever in his or your timelines one begins in.”  
  
“Message received,” Rose promised with a nod.  
  
“Good,” Kate said before raising her teacup and taking another sip.  
  
Rose was saved from further conversation with Kate by one of the doctors walking into the room. He was a short older man with glasses perched on his nose, according to the name tag he was Doctor Higgins. “Miss Tyler,” Doctor Higgins greeted pleasantly. “Mr Becket has asked to see you.”  
  
“Thank you,” Rose said quickly as she stood from her chair. She looked over at Kate, but her friend gestured for her to go ahead. Rose nodded and followed Doctor Higgins down a hallway to the small patient room.   
  
Richard Becket with laying on his good side facing the doorway with a bored and irritated look on his face which brightened when he spotted Rose. Stepping into the room, Rose examined the medical equipment around Richard. Nothing seemed too extreme and he was breathing on his own with only a simple IV in one arm. Doctor Higgins nodded to Richard before walking down the hall. Richard propped himself up a bit on his good arm. He was wearing drawstring pants, but no shirt with his injured shoulder covered in bandages that partially wrapped around his torso to keep them secure. Despite how bad he looked, he was smiling at Rose and looked happy to see her which eased the guilt that had flooded through her body.  
  
“Rose,” Richard greeted. “I’ve been asking about what happened at the lab? Are you alright?”  
  
“I’m fine,” Rose assured him with a smile as she pulled a chair from the wall over to Richard’s bed. “I’ve been here for almost an hour.”  
  
“I’ve been being debriefed,” Richard groaned as his eyes shifted to the open doorway. “Sounds like everyone is okay though, that’s a relief.”  
  
“Mickey is still being seen to,” Rose explained softly. “But it sounds like his burns aren’t as intense in one place so they have to treat more of his body.”  
  
“Yeah, at least I just got the shoulder,” Richard remarked with a shake of his head.  
  
“I didn’t say thank you for what you did,” Rose observed with a sad smile as she looked at the bandaged skin. “Thank you.”  
  
“You’re welcome,” Richard said with a smile of his own. “Didn’t think about it, to be honest, just an instinct.”  
  
“It usually is,” Rose agreed as she sat down in the chair next to his bed. “But even if you didn’t think about it thank you.”  
  
“So I hear everything is okay now,” Richard said gently. “Those soldiers Smith and Marks are going to be okay I hear.”  
  
“Yeah,” Rose told him with a relieved smile. “Mickey, uh private Smith can’t have visitors yet, but the doctors say he’ll be okay after some radiation and burn treatments. Magambo’s legs were pretty bad, but she’ll fully recover too.”  
  
“That’s amazing,” Richard observed as he let out a breath. “Just amazing.”  
  
“Some days you get lucky,” Rose breathed with a soft smile. “This was one of those days. Sadly it’s doubtful that we’ll ever know for certain if Thane did this or if it was someone else.”  
  
“This Thane that everyone thinks set the bomb,” Richard said slowly as if unsure, “I’ve heard about some of the things he’s done… if you had the chance would you kill him?”  
  
Rose looked down at Richard in surprise but nodded slowly a moment later. Richard’s expression became quizzical. “What?” Rose asked softly.  
  
“It’s just…” Richard shook his head, “I look at you and I see a beautiful smart girl, not a killer,” he gave her a soft smile. “The look in your eye says that you’d take on this burn in my place if you could. I just can’t see you killing anyone.”  
  
“I have already,” Rose said softly as she met Richard’s eyes. “But you’re right I’m not a killer.” Rose shook her head, “I’ve always seen killing as something primal, violent and selfish,” she said in a soft voice. “I’m a defender, not a killer.”  
  
“What’s the difference?” Richard asked as he reached over and took her hand gently.  
  
“When I end lives it is protect someone or the sometimes the whole world.” Rose paused and shrugged dejectedly. “In a perfect world I’d never end the life of a sentient being, but…” Rose shook her head and finished quickly. “But I can’t put my own moral wishes above the safety of others in a dangerous situation.”   
  
“So you take on the burden,” Richard said gently with a squeeze of her hand. “You really are too good to be true aren’t you.”  
  
“You said you’d stop flirting,” Rose observed lightly, trying to break the tension that had developed.  
  
“I blame the drugs they’ve given me,” Richard chuckled in response. “No verbal control right now.  
  
“Then I’ll ignore it this once,” Rose told him with a small smile that quickly fell away. “But honestly, I don’t think that Thane did this.”  
  
“You sound pretty sure of that,” Richard said with a frown.  
  
“This isn’t like him,” Rose replied uneasily. “He has a mode of operation and this doesn’t fit it.” Rose sighed, “Plus if he had escaped then I’d expect the Judoon to be here looking for him.”  
  
“I did hear a bit about them,” Richard remarked. “Didn’t sound very good.”  
  
“I’d imagine so,” Rose grumbled with a nod. “That was one of the bad sort of days.”  
  
“If it wasn’t Thane then who?” Richard asked.  
  
“I don’t know,” Rose admitted with a sigh. “How much do you know about our first contact with the Tervtians?"  
  
“I heard about the attempt to kidnap them,” Richard informed her with a nod. “If that’s what you mean.”  
  
“It is,” Rose confirmed, “the thing is that we still don’t know who arranged that attempt. We suspect Torchwood, but there’s no evidence.”  
  
“You think this was done by Torchwood?” Richard asked with a frown.  
  
Rose shook her head quickly. “No that’s not it; I just mean that we’ve got other mysteries with just circumstantial evidence. I worry about jumping to conclusions.”   
  
They were silent for a few minutes with Rose gently holding Richard’s hand for comfort. The door on the far side opened and one of the medical staff walked towards them. Rose quickly stood up and released Richard’s hand.  
  
“How is Mickey?” she asked eagerly, “I mean how is Private Smith.”  
  
The doctor, a middle-aged Indian woman this time smiled gently at Rose. “He’s going to be alright,” she answered. “He needs rest, but he has asked to see you.” The doctor paused before she added, “While his face wasn’t burned I warn you that he still doesn’t look very good.”  
  
“May I see him?” Rose asked trying to keep the edge of desperation out of her voice.  
  
“Like I said he’s asking for you,” the doctor replied with a smile. “Just be careful where you touch him, his hands are alright, but keep an eye out for any pain cues. It’s a miracle that he survived.” The doctor’s face saddened for a moment. “He was very lucky.”  
  
“Yeah,” Rose agreed softly. She knew that if Mickey hadn’t been protected by the metal shelving he’d be dead. It was an overwhelming thought that Rose forced away as she walked to the far door to see her friend.  
  
Mickey was on his back and Rose took a shaky breath as she examined him from the doorway. None of his burns seemed to be to the same extent of the others as the bandages were lighter on him, even if they covered far more of his body. However, Mickey’s bed was surrounded by many more machines with multiple IVs going into his arms and a nasal breathing system.  
  
“Hey Rose,” Mickey greeted in a weak voice, but with a happy tone. “Come on in.”  
  
Rose entered the room slowly, but at the warm smile, Mickey gave her gained some strength. She pulled a chair over next to the bed and sat down. Reaching for Mickey’s hand, Rose softly said, “Hi Mickey. How-” Rose cut off the question feeling a bit silly.  
  
“I’m feeling really tired,” Mickey answered gently. “A bit thirsty, but they don’t want me drinking anything yet.” He raised his free hand up enough to gesture to the various IVs. “Docs say it’s in my head and that my body is getting enough liquid.”  
  
“I’m sorry Mickey,” Rose blurted out suddenly.  
  
He turned his head enough to look at Rose with a surprised and confused expression. “Sorry for what babe?”  
  
“You’re involved with aliens because of me,” Rose said softly. “I’m sorry it got you hurt.”  
  
Mickey chuckled and squeezed her hand tightly for a moment. “Is that’s what got you sulking like this?” he asked. When she didn’t reply Mickey’s voice turned more gentle. “It’s not that bad Rose,” he told her. “I’m gonna be fine and I’m certainly not upset at how things have turned out.” Rose gave him a look and Mickey sighed. “Okay so we’d be dating, maybe married in my perfect world, but I’ve got a good job that makes a difference. I’ve got great mates and I’m attending uni.” Mickey gave her a small smile. “Not bad, certainly not what I expected.” He squeezed her hand again. “So stop it, babe, I’m a big boy and I made my choices, not you.” Mickey shifted slightly in his bed, badly hiding a flinch of pain. “Now what we really need to worry about is what you tell my gran for me.”  
  
“You’re making me tell Rita-Anne?” Rose asked with wide eyes and Mickey chuckled.  
  
“Got to tell her something and you’re so clever.”  
  
“But surely UNIT-”  
  
“I’m calling in a friend favour,” Mickey countered with a smirk. “Just to reassure her that I’m alright.”  
  
Rose sighed and shook her head in surrender. “Alright Mickey, what do you have in mind?”  
  
…………….Next Time: World War Three……………  
  
“I suppose that I should be glad that the aliens crashed into London before I left on my spring holiday,” Rose observed as she crossed her arms and frowned. “But honestly hitting Big Ben seems more like a crash from a bad science fiction show. They had enough control to hit the water and yet couldn’t aim for a field outside of a major population zone.”  
  
Brigadier Benton sighed and rubbed his forehead as he looked at her through the webcam system. “Well Tyler with me in Geneva and Malcolm in the North Sea I’m afraid you’re going to have to make UNIT UK proud as the conference.”  
  
“Conference?” Rose asked. “What conference?”  
  
Benton now smirked. “Representatives from the UNIT divisions and other agencies from around the world are gathering to discuss this crash, it was very public after all and I’m sending you for UNIT UK. Play nice with the other children.”


	26. World War III: Aliens in London

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Twenty-Six: World War III: Aliens in London  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
……………………………..  
  
Lent term at Cambridge was done with Easter term a month away giving Rose Tyler some much needed time off from her studies, probably not from aliens, but at least from her studies. The window in her brightly decorated room on Bannerman Road in London was thrown open to let some of the afternoon fresh air in. The March breeze wasn’t warm by any stretch of the imagination, but the crisp freshness was a welcome change from the stale warm air that filled most of the house.  
  
Rose looked down at the small suitcase on her bed with consideration. She and the girls were scheduled were scheduled to meet Astra in Barcelona in three days to start a month-long exploration of Spain. They’d all agreed to take as little as possible to make train hopping and hosteling as easy as possible, but Rose couldn’t shake the feeling she was missing something critical in the already full bag.  
  
“Jeans, shirts, socks, knickers, bras, hoodie, shorts, dancing dress just in case….” Rose mumbled to herself as she inspected the contents. “Swimsuit, toiletries, hair stuff, camera and laptop are in the other bag.” Rose sighed and shook her head, “You’d think a planned trip would be easier than TARDIS travel.” She shook her head amused and walked over to her desk where a short checklist was sitting, but everything was already marked off.  
  
The sudden ringing of her mobile distracted Rose from her contemplation of what she was missing and she fished it out of her pocket automatically. A quick glance at the caller id told her that Shareen was calling.   
  
“Hi Shareen,” Rose greeted cheerfully.  
  
“Rose turn on the telly,” Shareen said in a serious voice. “Right now.”  
  
“What’s going on?” Rose asked with a confused frown.  
  
“A spaceship crashed into the Thames after hitting Big Ben,” Shareen answered the phone with an excited trill in her voice.  
  
“Come on be serious,” Rose chuckled. “That’s the script of a science fiction movie.”  
  
“It’s no joke,” Shareen insisted. “Turn on the telly. Any channel you like.”  
  
Rose turned and headed for the door of her bedroom and headed for the stairs as she snapped the phone shut. Downstairs she found her mum and Gita both teary eyed in front of the telly with a plate of cookies and a box of tissues on the table in front of them. Raising an eyebrow, Rose examined the screen and then shook her head at the romance that was playing.   
  
“Hi Gita,” Rose greeted. “I’ve got to check something really quick.” She snatched the remote and turned off of the DVD, switching to the news.  
  
“Rose!” Jackie protested, “Don’t be rude young lady.”  
  
Rose ignored her mother in favour of listening to the news reader. “Big Ben destroyed as a UFO crash lands in Central London. Police reinforcements are drafted in from across the country to control widespread panic, looting and civil disturbance. A state of national emergency has been declared. Tom Hitchinson is at the scene.”  
  
“What?” Gita gasped. “Aliens in London?!”  
  
Rose looked at the banner across the bottom of the screen. “Apparently it crashed only fifteen minutes ago,” she told Gita and Jackie before the screen changed to a reporter standing near the Thames. He was too far away for Rose to see much of the ship.  
  
“The police urge the public not to panic. There's a helpline number on screen right now if you're worried about friends or family,” Tom Hitchinson announced into his microphone. Rose raised an eyebrow, apparently they weren’t releasing much information yet.   
  
The ringing of her phone again pulled her away from the television and she briefly noted Jackie and Gita speaking in excited voices. To avoid the noise Rose walked into the kitchen and pulled out the mobile. She smiled softly as the UNIT number flashed on the screen.  
  
“This is Tyler,” Rose said as she answered the phone.  
  
“Colonel Mace,” the stern colonel greeted shortly. “Brigadier General Benton wants you on the secure video line immediately.”  
  
“Uh, okay,” Rose agreed before the call ended suddenly. “Nice to talk to you too Mace,” Rose muttered as she slipped out of the kitchen and upstairs to her laptop.   
  
Behind her, she heard Gita say, “Jackie we should have a party! This is huge! History in the making!”  
  
Rose glanced around her bedroom quickly and closed up her suitcase before she went to the laptop. She waited impatiently while it booted up, wondering why she wasn’t just being called to the Tower. Once the laptop was working Rose quickly logged into the secure system that UNIT used for video conferences. It only took a moment to connect to Benton’s office. She frowned in confusion as the call was then transferred to a different machine using Benton’s ID number.  
  
A moment later the call connected and Brigadier General Benton appeared onscreen in an unfamiliar office. He looked tense with some extra lines around his eyes that Rose could guess the source of.  
  
“Good afternoon Brigadier Benton,” she greeted politely.  
  
“Hello Thorn,” Benton greeted with a nod, easing slightly. “I take if you know about the ship crashing in London just a quarter of an hour ago.”  
  
“Yes sir,” Rose agreed with a nod. “I just became aware of it.”  
  
“I need you to come in. We’re facing a very public crash in the middle of a major city.”  
  
“I suppose that I should be glad that the aliens crashed into London before I left on my spring holiday,” Rose observed as she crossed her arms and frowned. “But honestly hitting Big Ben seems more like a crash from a bad science fiction show. They had enough control to hit the water and yet couldn't aim for a field outside of a major population zone.”  
Brigadier Benton sighed and rubbed his forehead as he looked at her through the webcam system. “Well, Tyler with me in Geneva and Doctor Taylor in the North Sea I'm afraid you're going to have to make UNIT UK proud as the conference.”  
“Conference?” Rose asked, blinking in mild alarm. “What conference?”  
Benton now smirked as he explained, “Representatives from the UNIT divisions and other agencies from around the world are gathering to discuss this crash, it was very public after all and I'm sending you for UNIT UK. Play nice with the other children.”  
  
Rose gave Benton an unamused look and sighed. “What about Kate?”  
  
“She went with Doctor Taylor to investigate some kind of signal that we picked up there.” Benton paused and frowned slightly, “And Toshiko does not currently have the status to serve as the representative.”  
  
“Who else will be going?” Rose questioned as she straightened her soldiers.  
  
“Colonel Mace is overseeing troops in my absence so the third-in-command of UNIT UK will be joining you there. Her name is Lt. Colonel Elizabeth Frost, but I don’t think you’ve ever met.”  
  
“I know the name, but no we haven’t met,” Rose agreed with a nod.  
  
“Doctor Taylor also suggested sending Doctor Kapoor for the science division. You remember him I trust.”  
  
“Yes sir,” Rose confirmed with a nod. She didn’t work much with Nasser, but they’d made a good team when she and Tosh had worked with them on the UNIT teleport system. “What about Torchwood?”  
  
Benton sighed and rubbed his forehead as if holding back a headache. Rose felt a twitch of guilt for bringing them up. “Hartman isn’t speaking with anyone right now and the Queen gave UNIT control of this crash. Torchwood has been invited to the conference, but we don’t know yet who Hartman will send.”  
  
“You don’t think she’ll come herself?” Rose asked.  
  
“I believe she’d consider it beneath her,” Benton grumbled before straightening up again. “Most of those present will be UNIT personnel or from similar agencies.” Benton gave her a small smile. “You shouldn’t have any trouble. A car will pick you up in half an hour and take you to Albian Hospital.”  
  
“A hospital? Have any survivors been found?” Rose asked in surprise.  
  
“Not survivors,” Benton answered shaking his head. “But a body has been found. They aren’t going to move it until everything is in place, but we’d like you at the hospital to take a look at it.”  
  
“I’m not a medical doctor,” Rose reminded him pointedly.  
  
“No, but the conference doesn’t start until later when the other representatives arrive and I need one of my people to take a look.”  
  
“Understood,” Rose conceded with a nod. “One more question.”  
  
“Yes?” Benton asked sounding torn between amusement and annoyance.  
  
“Why did Malcolm and Kate go to the North Sea?”  
  
“Three days ago a satellite picked up some strange radiation out there. They were ahead of schedule this morning, but are too far out to make it back tonight.”  
  
“Interesting,” Rose murmured softly before she nodded. “I’ll be ready for the car when it arrives, but please have it pick me up around the corner and not my house.”  
  
“I’ll arrange for that and remember I said to play nice,” Benton added before ending the call.  
  
Rose frowned at the screen for a moment and then glanced out the window at the clear blue sky. Her eyes dropped to the houses across the street. “Spock,” she muttered to herself.  
  
Pulling on her leather jacket, Rose checked that she had her wallet, sonic pen and mobile. She stopped for a moment and considered her closet before she grabbed an oversized jacket with a hood and pair of large sunglasses before heading downstairs. Gita and Jackie were both on their phones and ignoring the television screen.  
  
“I know it is so exciting isn’t it?” Gita said cheerfully. “We’re going to have a little party, come on over to Jackie’s.”  
  
Jackie hung up and looked over to see Rose heading for the door. “Where are you off to?” Jackie asked.  
  
“I’m going to head into town to meet up with Shareen and Sharon.”  
  
“Rose half of the streets are blocked,” Gita protested.  
  
“That’s why I’m taking my bike,” Rose replied with a grin.   
  
Jackie huffed in protest and shook her head. “Just try to be back for the party,” she told Rose.  
  
“We’ll see how bad the traffic is,” Rose answered noncommittedly. “I’ll be fine.”  
  
Rose rushed out of the house before Jackie could protest and went to her motorcycle. She sighed as she started it up, she hadn’t had much time for riding it lately with winter and school and today would be no different. Rose drove away from the house but headed to the right and not to the left going further down Bannerman Road. Sarah Jane’s house loomed over its small garden and Rose parked the bike far up in the drive so it would be out of sight. She didn’t bother to retrieve the spare key that Sarah Jane had given her and just used the sonic pen to unlock the front door.  
  
Silence greeted Rose in the Chesterton-Smith house, but she could see signs that Rani and Clyde had been by to water the plants. Sarah Jane and Johnny had decided to take a holiday with Luke and already been gone two days. Deciding to keep her jacket on, Rose darted up the staircase towards the attic.  
  
“Mistress Rose,” K-9 greeted when she opened the door. “It is pleasant to see you.”  
  
“Good to see you too K-9,” Rose replied with a smile as she walked over to the robot dog and patted him on the head. She then turned towards the wall that hid Spock. “I need you, Spock.”  
  
The wall broke apart slowly with mechanical hisses as the controls of the Xylok unfolded into view. Rose watched the transformation with a strange little smile on her face.   
  
“Hello Rose,” Spock greeted. “I expect that you are here about the recent crash.”  
  
“Yeah,” Rose said taking a step closer to Spock. “Your sensors track objects entering the solar system so how did you miss this?”  
  
“I am running a diagnostic on my sensors as we speak,” Spock informed her.  
  
“Do you recognise the ship?” Rose asked.  
  
“It matches nothing in my records exactly,” Spock answered quickly. “From the technology I have identified it is combination of different parts with nothing specific enough to offer a planet origin.”  
  
“Were there any distress calls or odd bursts of energy?” Rose questioned.  
  
“Only a small burst of energy in the North Sea three days ago which I informed Sarah Jane of as well as the fact that UNIT has sent a team to investigate.”  
  
“Alright,” Rose said with a sigh. “I’ve gotta go, but finish running diagnostics with K-9.”  
  
“I do not require the dog’s help,” Spock replied sounding displeased.  
  
“Monitoring solar system entries is your task Spock-” K-9 started to say, but Rose cut him off.  
  
“Enough!” Rose snapped as she looked between the two. “You two can go back to your snark contests once I’m comfortable that Earth is safe. Finish the diagnostics to verify that you either did or didn’t miss it.” Rose took a breath and calmed herself. “If it didn’t come from outside the solar system then we have a completely new issue. I need to know if I’m dealing with an accident or something else immediately so no more fighting. May I clear?”  
  
“Yes Rose,” Spock replied in an even tone. “We will complete the diagnostics of my system and run an energy trace check in the inner solar system to answer your question of origin.”  
  
“Understood Mistress Rose,” K-9 said in his dutiful tone. “We will contact you as soon as data is available.”  
  
“Better,” Rose announced as she released a breath. “Much better.”  
  
Rose pulled off her leather jacket and tossed it on the sofa that sat in the centre of the attic. Then she pulled on the heavier coat with the hood. She tied her hair up in a messy bun to keep it hidden under the hood and readied the sunglasses.  
  
“New fashion Rose?” Spock asked tentatively.  
  
“Whole world is watching,” Rose explained with a shrug. “It may not be a brilliant disguise, but hopefully it will protect me from public exposure as an alien expert.” She waved to the Xylok and robot and headed down the stairs and out onto the street after locking the house up. The car was waiting and one of her escorts was just stepping out.  
  
“Miss Tyler,” a private she didn’t know greeted with a nod.   
  
“Hi,” Rose greeted as she opened the back passenger door herself. “Nice to meet you,” she added more politely before sliding into the back seat. Once they started moving Rose pulled out her phone and called Shareen. “Hey Shareen,” Rose said not waiting for the other girl to greet her. “UNIT called me in as soon as I got off the phone with you.”  
  
“Any ideas on what’s up?” Shareen asked.  
  
“A couple of stray thoughts,” Rose answered as she looked out the window. “But nothing concrete yet. Look I need you to cover for me. Mum thinks I came to London to see you and Sharon so if she calls-”  
  
“You’re here, but not available,” Shareen finished for Rose. “Got it, just be careful.”  
  
“I will be,” Rose replied affectionately. “I promise.”  
  
The further they drove into central London the clearer the chaos became. Police were everywhere with crowds packed in the streets, some trying to get away from the area and others trying to get closer. Rose could see some police cars with the names of nearby towns and cities nearby and wondered just how many police they’d be bringing in. Any moment now Cambridge police might start arriving. Another two turns put them near the Thames were media vehicles were crammed together behind police lines.   
  
The driver manoeuvred them around a barricade and Rose was grateful for the tinted windows in the car as the press took photos. She shrunk into her hood and slipped the sunglasses on, grateful to feel the awkward weight that covered up almost a third of her face. Another turn and they were in front of an old hospital building with guards opening a heavy metal gate for them. The car pulled up in front of the building and Rose slide across to the door directly in front of the hospital entrance. She waited for a UNIT soldier to open the hospital door before she jumped up and climbed the stairs. Despite the questions being shouted by the press Rose didn’t turn around and entered the hospital.  
  
The place was dark, but clean reflecting its disuse. Rose calmly followed a UNIT soldier down a long corridor to a morgue. She’s never been in a morgue before personally, but she had no doubt that the room was one. Metal doors or drawers lined one wall and a metal operating table was set up in the middle complete with a water sprayer. There was currently nothing on the table and a pair of men in lab coats stood quietly talking. Rose recognised one of them as Doctor Higgins from the UNIT medical department, but the other man was younger, probably mid-forties, and taller with short brown hair and slight Scottish accent. The soldier escorting her stopped and cleared his throat to draw their attention.  
  
“Oh goodness,” Doctor Higgins gasped. “You startled me.” His eyes landed on Rose and he smiled gently. “Ah Miss Tyler, good to see you. I trust Private Smith is still doing well since he was transferred from my care.”  
  
“He is Doctor Higgins,” Rose answered as she walked into the room. “He’s still on medical leave, but moving and eating with no problems.”  
  
“I’m glad to hear it.” Higgins then remembered the other doctor. “Miss Tyler this is Doctor McDonald from Torchwood. Hartman selected him personally.”  
  
Doctor McDonald and Rose studied each other for a moment before McDonald extended his hand. Rose nodded and accepted it giving his hand a quick shake. She noticed that he wore a polo shirt under his lab coat with a stylised T on the breast pocket.  
  
“When is the body expected?” Rose asked as she stepped back from McDonald.  
  
“Our last message said half an hour,” Higgins answered before looking at his watch. “Probably any minute now.”  
  
“Are you qualified to assist in the autopsy?” McDonald questioned with a raised eyebrow.  
  
“No,” Rose answered calmly. “I’m here to take note of anything I recognise.”  
  
McDonald nodded thoughtfully as he studied Rose which she tried not to react to. Suddenly her phone rang and she fished it out to check the caller. It was Spock.  
  
“Please excuse me,” Rose said quickly before she walked past the guard and into a quite side room. “What have you got?” she asked Spock.  
  
“Diagnostics have shown no problem with my sensors,” Spock informed her. “I ran internal diagnostics and K-9 ran his own diagnostics.”  
  
“So it came from Earth,” Rose concluded with a sigh. “Was it a crash from someone trying to leave in a damaged ship?”   
  
“In my records, I found a similar energy reading in the solar system that was too weak to track over three months ago. Doing a similar scan K-9 and I have found that the crash was controlled after the ship was slingshotted around the Earth.”  
  
“So the crash was for show,” Rose deduced with a deepening frown. “And the aliens have been here three months. Good work boys,” Rose told them. “Spock run checks on government defence systems and make sure that nothing has been tampered with. K-9 I want you to work on whatever that energy coming from the North Sea is. Report to me when you have something.”  
  
“Affirmative,” K-9 replied.  
  
“Be careful Rose,” Spock cautioned before hanging up the phone.  
  
Rose peeked out of the side room she’d hidden in to see more troops moving around. Stepping out into the hall Rose backtracked to the morgue and gasped softly as she stepped into the room. There lying on the autopsy table was what looked like a pig in a space suit. The only thought Rose managed at that moment was to question how aliens with hoofs could construct a spaceship. But then again, the universe took all sorts.


	27. World War III: Downing Street

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Twenty-Seven: World War III: Downing Street  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
………………………….  
  
Downing Street was surrounded by news vans and cameras when Rose’s car pulled up in front of number 10. Rose quickly put on the sunglasses and pulled her hood up making sure that all of her hair was tucked away. When the car door opened a moment later, Rose kept her back to the press and quickly ascended the stairs to the front door. Behind her, she could hear shouted questions and confused remarks about her identity, but ignored them and slipped into the famous building.  
  
For a moment she allowed herself a little jolt of giddiness at being inside 10 Downing Street. When the nearest guard looked at Rose he was clearly trying not to chuckle. Rose shrugged with a small smile and pulled off the large sunglasses. She moved away from the door and slipped them back into her bag and lowered her hood. Ahead of her was a small gathering of people dressed in a mixture of suits and uniforms, mostly UNIT. Rose walked forward slowly and scanned the faces to determine who present she knew.  
  
“Rose Tyler,” an accented voice called ahead of her.   
  
Rose quickly found the source of the voice and she smiled. Professor Amina Chalthoum was weaving through the small crowd to reach her. She was one of the few not dressed in a suit or uniform, but her clothing was much more formal than Rose’s own.  
  
“Amina,” Rose greeted with a smile as the older Egyptian woman reached her. They hugged quickly and Rose gave Amina a soft smile. “How are you?”  
  
“Busy,” Amina answered tiredly. “Egypt’s UNIT branch is still recovering from… the Colonel’s death and this happens.”  
  
“Don’t take this the wrong way,” Rose told her, “But I’m a bit surprised they called you here.”  
  
“Not too many UNIT personnel have actually dealt with aliens,” Amina reminded Rose. “I was actually part of events in Egypt which puts me on the priority list. They called me first thing and I only just got here.” Amina glanced around. “There aren’t many from the UK branch here though.”  
  
“No,” Rose agreed with a shake of her head. “Doctor Malcolm Taylor, our branches science advisor and his number two Kate Stewart are out in the North Sea.”  
  
“The North Sea?”  
  
“A signal was detected from out there a few days ago, they haven’t reached it yet to investigate though.”  
  
“Now they probably won’t,” Amina observed. “Not with all of this going on.”  
  
“It’s still being addressed,” Rose said softly as she looked at the people moving through the building. “Might be connected.”  
  
Amina gave Rose a curious and amused expression but didn’t ask. Instead, the woman nodded thoughtfully and gestured towards the small cluster of people in a variety of uniforms. “We’re waiting on representatives from the United States UNIT branch and Section 13,” Amina explained to her softly.  
  
“Section 13?” Rose asked with a touch of confusion.  
  
“The Americans national alien organisation,” Amina explained with a shrug. “Quite a few countries have their own organisations in addition to UNIT.  From what I’ve heard Section 13 has a good relationship with UNIT USA.”  
  
“That’s better than Torchwood anyway,” Rose muttered. “That lot should be here soon.”  
  
“Well that’s Captain Schmit from Germany,” Amina told her as she pointed to a tall man with dark hair in his thirties. “That’s the French representative, but I didn’t catch her name. I know that India is sending someone who should be here in within the hour and some others.”  
  
“When are we formerly starting?” Rose asked as she scanned the crowd.  
  
“In an hour, everyone is expected before then,” Amina answered as she looked back to Rose. “So what do you think? Rumour is that you’ve seen the body.”  
  
“Yeah,” Rose responded as she looked around. Several staff members of Downing Street were still rushing about, some with frantic looks on their faces.   
  
“And?” Amina pressed.  
  
“It looked like a pig,” Rose answered with a slight shake of her head. “And I don’t mean just the head like the Judoon, it had hooves and everything with a flight suit.”  
  
“A pig,” Amina repeated. “Well… that’s interesting.”  
  
“Doctor Higgins from UNIT and Doctor McDonald from Torchwood both agree that it couldn’t be done on Earth since the brain was different from a normal Earth pig.”  
  
“What do you think?” Amina asked in a softer voice. “And what do you know?”  
  
“The ship came from Earth,” Rose confided to her softly. “One of my sources was able to track its flight and it did a slingshot around the planet from crashing.”  
  
“So the aliens are on Earth,” Amina hissed.  
  
“Hard to say for sure,” Rose admitted cautiously. “Personally I’m still debating between diversion and prank.”  
  
“Prank?” Amina repeated with a quirked eyebrow.  
  
“Sure, it’s on the news all across the globe. People panicking in the streets and government arguing about what to do. To the right species this is probably very funny.”  
  
“After what happened in Egypt I’d prefer a prank,” Amina admitted gruffly. “But if nothing happens and the world is left hanging things could get very ugly very fast.  
  
“Agreed,” Rose said as she caught sight of a young man of Indian descent walking towards her.  
  
“Good evening,” the young man greeted her. “Here is your identification card,” he said as he handed Rose a small badge with her name and security level on it.  
  
“Thank you,” Rose leaned forward to catch his name. “Mister Ganesh. Can you spare a moment to catch me up on the situation as it stands for Britain?” Mr Ganesh looked conflicted as Rose put the identification card on her hoodie. “I’m pretty sure we qualify as needing to know.”  
  
“Joseph Green is acting Prime Minister,” Ganesh explained after another moment of hesitation. “The Prime Minster is missing and the cabinet is stranded outside of London due to the gridlock.”  
  
“Can’t they be flown in via helicopter?” Rose questioned.   
  
“They’re going to be airlifted in soon,” Ganesh replied with some obvious relief.  
  
“I’ve never heard of Joseph Green,” Rose admitted thoughtfully as she glanced towards the staircase.   
  
“He’s uh, well he’s the chairman for the committee on monitoring of sugar standards,” Ganesh informed her with a slightly worried glance towards the stairs.   
  
“Oh,” Rose replied with a swallow. “Then the others better get here soon so we can get to work on this.”  
  
Ganesh looked ready to say something more but caught sight of a middle-aged woman with brown hair in a pale pink jacket and dark skirt. She was carrying a folder in her hands and Ganesh sighed. “Please excuse me, Miss Tyler,” Ganesh apologised before striding over to the woman.  
  
Rose turned and watched the woman argue quietly with the junior secretary for a few moments before he vanished up the stairs.   
  
“She one of us?” Rose asked Amina.  
  
“Not that I know of,” Amina replied with a frown.   
  
A woman with blonde hair who was a few inches taller than Rose walked over to them. Rose glanced at the UNIT uniform the woman was wearing and noted the name: Lt. Colonel Frost. “Good evening Miss Tyler,” the Lt. Colonel greeted as she held out her hand.  
  
Rose took the offered hand and shook it. “Hello Lt. Colonel Frost,” she greeted politely. “I don’t believe we have ever met.”  
  
“We met briefly several years ago,” Frost answered with a hint of amusement. “But you were only fourteen at the time and I was lower in rank.”  
  
“Ah,” Rose said, feeling slightly embarrassed. “Fourteen… that would have been the Mona Lisa then.”  
  
“Correct,” Frost remarked with a nod before stepping a little closer. “I am to ask if you have consulted Spock as to what has occurred,” she asked in a low voice while making a slight gesture over to the Colonel waiting with a group of men in suits.  
  
“I have,” Rose answered with a nod. “The ship did not originate from space but was launched from Earth before it crashed. The trajectory suggests a very controlled flight and crash.”  
  
“And the body?”  
  
“I don’t believe it to be a true extraterrestrial, but rather a creation to serve as a joke or a decoy.”  
  
“I see,” Frost muttered with a nod. “Be advised that Torchwood’s representatives should be arriving any moment now.”  
  
“Joy,” Rose grumbled which only made Frost’s lips twitch up into a smile.  
  
“It does make me miss the days when we didn’t officially know they existed and didn’t have to invite them to these things,” Frost admitted. “If possible Miss Tyler I would value a chance to speak with you later about your experiences.”  
  
“Lt. Colonel Frost you have clearance to read my file,” Rose commented. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the woman in the pink jacket passing them.  
  
“True, but that isn’t like having a chance to speak with one of the great modern alien experts.”  
  
“I wouldn’t go that far,’ Rose replied with a blush. “I’ve just got a strange life.”  
  
The Lt. Colonel looked ready to say something more when the Colonel gestured to her. Rose nodded to Frost who returned the sign of respect before returning to her UNIT group.   
  
“You’re cute when you blush,” Amina teased lightly. “It is understandable I suppose. You bring the average age down a lot.”  
  
“You’re not that much older than me,” Rose remarked.  
  
“Rose I’m a professor who is in the employment of UNIT which was not offered to me right out of university. On the other hand, you’re only in your second year of uni.”  
  
More people arrived and Rose eventually gave into Amina’s desire to mingle and meet the other attendees. Some of the names were familiar to Rose and almost everyone from a UNIT post seemed to know who she was which was a bit intimidating. The civilian scientists seemed confused by her, but most accepted her presence without fuss.   
  
Junior secretary Ganesh made brief appearances and the woman in pink who refused to leave the building went upstairs with a cup of coffee. Finally, the two representatives from India were ushered in, nearly filling the waiting room and the US UNIT team of four was only a few minutes behind them. Two larger men, one with dark hair in a suit and the other in a UK General’s uniform entered the room with Ganesh on their heels.   
  
“Ladies and gentlemen, can we convene? Quick as we can, please. It’s this way on the right, and can I remind you ID cards are to be worn at all times,” Ganesh announced as he held up an id card.   
  
Rose hung back to allow General Asquith and the apparent acting Prime Minister Joseph Green into the room first. The others began filing towards the room and Rose took a step to follow when a hand on her arm made her turn. The woman in the pink jacket who had been wandering around Downing Street for the last hour was at her elbow with an odd look on her face.  
  
“Excuse me,” the woman whispered. “Can I please have a word?”  
  
Ganesh turned to the woman with impatience on his face and huffed, “You haven't got clearance. Now leave it.”  
  
“I just need a word in private,” the woman argued with Ganesh as Rose studied her. Earlier the woman had been standing a little taller and straighter and now there was something in her eyes, some kind of… shadow.  
  
“It’s alright,” Rose interrupted. “I’ll just be a moment.”  
  
“Miss Tyler,” Ganesh argued, “The others have convened. You’re part of the crisis team!”  
  
“England has managed just fine without me for a thousand years, it can handle a few minutes,” Rose assured with a smile, but also with a sharp look in her eyes.   
  
Ganesh sighed but raised his hands in surrender even while giving the woman in pink a disapproving look. The woman in pink ignored the look and grasped Rose’s arm for a moment pulling her towards a side door. She released Rose’s arm and raised her identity card.   
  
“Harriet Jones, MP Flydale North.”  
  
“Rose Tyler, UNIT,” Rose replied as she watched the woman’s body language become more and more tense. They climbed the stairs and moved beyond the hearing range of the guards on the first floor.  
  
“I heard the others in there says you were one of the best alien experts,” Harriet Jones said suddenly. “I- I need to show you something. It’s important and I-”  
  
“It’s alright,” Rose comforted gently. “Let’s start with you showing me whatever it is and then you can tell me what you saw.”  
  
The woman gave a shaking nod and then started crying softly. Rose rubbed her arms gently for a moment before saying, “I know. It’s scary the first time you see something like an alien. I remember what it’s like Harriet, but you can’t panic. You can’t stop and cry cause you’ve gotta work on how to deal with the threat first. After it’s over you cry with a big plate of biscuits and tea, but right now I need to know what you saw.”   
  
Harriet Jones’ body kept shaking, but her tears lessened and she gave Rose a quick nod. “In the cabinet room,” Harriet told her. “That’s where it happened.”  
  
Rose nodded and they quickly walked through the small office space to the large wooden doors. Pushing them open, Rose stepped inside and glanced around. Nothing looked out of place on her immediate inspection. Harriet moved past her and headed for the small cupboard to the right of the door.  
  
“In here,” Harriet said before she vanished into the cupboard.   
  
Rose glanced out the door and partially closed it while Harriet retrieved whatever she had found. When Rose turned back she found Harriet Jones holding what looked like a bundle of clothing and flesh coloured rubber. She draped it quickly over a chair and looked about ready to start crying once again.  
  
“They turned the body into a suit. A disguise for the thing inside!”  
  
Rose’s eyes widened and she moved quickly to examine the body suit which was horribly real to the touch. Dropping it back around the chair Rose took a step back from it and turned to Harriet. “Alright Harriet, what else did you see?”  
  
“Well, it was the general who was in this…. Suit and now he’s the general. That Joseph Green and some short blonde woman were here and working with it.”  
  
“So the aliens are in Downing Street,” Rose said softly. “Did they say anything?”  
  
“They didn’t say much other than talking about the…” Harriet gestured towards the body suit. “But they didn’t seem worried.”  
  
“So why are they here?” Rose questioned as she fingered her pendant thoughtfully. “In the same building where they know most of the best experts in fighting aliens are? Why risk discovery like this?” Rose’s eyes widened and she turned to Harriet. “Any mention of an escape or a bomb? Anything like that?”  
  
“No,” Harried answered shaking her head. “They can’t risk a bomb, they’re in the same room and the only thing that’s different about them is that they don’t have ID cards.”  
  
Rose hands instantly went to her own ID card as Harriet’s eyes widened. The older woman suddenly lunged forward and started pulling the card from around Rose’s neck. It twisted and got caught in her hair as Rose tried to pull away and rush for the door. She shifted and felt the card slide over her hand, leaving the card in Harriet’s hands while Rose rushed for the stairs. Behind her, she could vaguely hear Harriet calling after her and Ganesh yelling something.  
  
“It’s a trap!” Rose shouted as she ran past two guards towards the conference room. “Amina! Frost! It’s a trap! Take off the IDs!”   
  
She reached the doorway just in time to see Frost near the front of the room rip off her ID card before blue electricity emitted from each of the ID cards. Rose’s eyes found Amina in her chair near the doorway with her mouth open in a silent scream. She lunged towards her but was grabbed by Frost who pulled her towards the doorway.   
  
“No Tyler!” Frost ordered sharply. “Too late!”  
  
Rose looked towards the front of the room and saw a large green alien with thick and long limbs. A strange metal collar on its neck caught her attention. Her arm dropped to call forth her sword, but Frost tugged her sharply through the doorway.   
  
“We can’t-” Rose tried to argue.  
  
“Guards!” Frost shouted. “Guards!” She tugged Rose and she finally understood Frost’s plan. They rounded the corner to meet four heavily armed policemen. “Aliens in the conference room!” Frost shouted, “Hurry!”  
  
Rose and Frost followed them into the room just as Harriet and Ganesh were coming down the stairs.   
  
“Rose!” Harriet shouted, “What’s happening?”  
  
“Not now Harriet,” Rose hissed as the guards burst into the conference room.  
  
However, the alien had already slipped back into the form of the general.   
  
“Where have you been? I called for help. I sounded the alarm,” the alien in Joseph Green demanded. “There was this lightening, this kind of, er, electricity, and they all collapsed.  
  
They fanned out in the room and one gently checked the pulse of the Colonel at the front of the room.  
  
“I think they’re all dead,” Sergeant Price said weakly.   
  
“That's what I'm saying. They did it! Those women there!” Green shouted pointing at Frost and Rose.  
  
“They’re aliens!” Frost shouted. “Aliens in the skins of humans!”  
  
Rose took one look at the faces of the policemen before she grabbed Frost’s hand. “Run!”  
  
Ganesh gaped at them as they rushed past only to hear the acting Prime Minster shout, “That one there helped them! Take them all!”  
  
“Hurry!” Harriet snapped as she rushed after Rose and Frost. Ganesh was stunned and stumbled slightly as he followed them down a corridor.  
  
“What is happening?!” Ganesh shouted. “Someone tell me what is going on!?”  
  
Rose slid to a halt as policemen blocked the corridor and the corridor on the other side of swarmed with police and the aliens. Frost pushed Rose behind her and glared at the approaching aliens. Rose stepped back against the wall only to touch the cool metal of the lift door. She pushed the button hard as the aliens stepped forward through the crowd of policemen who were all pointing guns at the four of them.   
  
“Under the jurisdiction of the Emergency Protocols, I authorise you to execute these four aliens immediately!” the alien in the general said harshly to the sergeant.  
  
“I’m not an alien,” Ganesh pleaded with wide eyes. “What has happened?”  
  
“Lies,” the alien in Green snorted. “Kill these invaders immediately.  
  
The lift dinged and the doors opened. Rose jumped in first and pulled out her sonic pen. Harriet stumbled in and turned to grab the back of Frost’s uniforms and Ganesh’s coat. Rose heard the safeties on the weapons release just as the sonic pen whirled. The door slid shut and the lift began to rise towards the second floor.  
  
“I can’t believe that worked,” Rose breathed as she looked at the others.   
  
 “What is going on?” Ganesh asked weakly. “Why did they just order us executed?”  
  
“The Prime Minster and General have been killed and aliens have taken their place,” Rose informed him evenly. “The conference was a trap to kill the people on Earth who could’ve stopped them and Frost and I need a safe place to work.”   
  
“Uh the cabinet room on the second floor can be sealed against attacks,” Ganesh said still sounding lost.  
  
“That will work, Harriet, bring him up to speed.”  
  
Frost turned to Rose and swallowed, “Thank you. I hear your shout and that saved my life.”  
  
“I should’ve figured it out sooner,” Rose muttered sadly.  
  
“We all should have,” Frost remarked with a sad look. “But we didn’t.” Frost paused, “I’m sorry about Professor Chalthoum, you two seemed to be friends.”  
  
“I think we were,” Rose agreed as the lift opened. “Time to stop them.”  
  
“And make them pay,” Frost said fiercely. Internally Rose couldn’t have agreed more.


	28. World War III: Locked in the Cabinet Room

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Twenty-Eight: World War III: Locked in the Cabinet Room   
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
…………………………  
  
Frost took point, having pulled her firearm even if Rose wondered about its usefulness. Aliens had control of Downing Street in a story that seemed better suited to ‘Invasion of the Body Snatcher’ or something similar.   
  
“Did you see what they looked like?” Frost questioned Harried in a low voice as they moved towards the cabinet room.  
  
“A bit yes,” Harriet answered sounding out of breath. “But when the … transference took place there was a lot of blue light that disoriented me. They are larger than us, a bit green with large limbs and sort of baby faces.”  
  
“Tyler?” Frost asked. “Sound familiar?”  
  
“Afraid not,” Rose replied in a low voice.  
  
Suddenly a long green limb with a strange bone like protrusion that ran along the length of it lashed out and knocked Frost back against the wall. On reflex, Rose summoned her sword and moved forward to block Frost before the two long claw-like fingers could move again. As she stepped forward Rose got a quick look at the large alien creature with its black round eyes, strange collar device and pot belly. Then it moved, lashing out the dangerous looking hand towards Rose who swung her sword up. Her Star Knight sword slashed through the flesh and caught on the bone like protrusion for only a moment before slicing through.   
  
“You beast!” the alien screamed in a shrill almost feminine voice.   
  
“Who are you!?” Rose demanded as she raised her sword to prepare for another attack. “Why are you here?”  
  
“Rose!” Harriet shouted in warning. “Two more of them coming down the corridor!”  
  
“Get to the cabinet room,” Rose hissed as she stepped towards the alien to let the other’s past. The alien made a threatening hiss at her as Rose raised the sword and watched the creature carefully. It began to raise its remaining hand towards her, but when Rose moved the sword towards the hand the movement stopped.   
  
“Tyler!” Frost’s voice barked. “Come on!”  
  
“Kill it!” The alien shouted, “Kill the bag of hormones and adrenaline!”  
  
Rose risked a quick glance down the hall. Two of the aliens were rushing towards her. She heard the alien nearest to her moving and ducked just in time to avoid its remaining clawed hand. Rose spun on her heel, almost slipping in the greenish blood that had dribbled onto the floor and ran. There was a rushing sound past her eyes and she saw some kind of dart hit the wooden panel of the wall right in front of her but didn’t stop to examine it.  
  
The aliens were right behind her when Rose reached the cabinet room. Rose had just crossed the threshold when the sound of metal shifting reached her ears. Turning, she had just enough time to glimpse the aliens before two slabs of metal clashed closed in front of her, sealing the door. Blinking at the sudden change, Rose reached forward and knocked the metal barrier.  
  
“Installed in 1991,” Ganesh explained weakly next to her. Rose turned to see that his hand was on a button next to the doorframe. “Three inches of steel,” he gestured to the sealed windows. “It’s through all the walls.”  
  
“That’s a relief,” Harriet breathed. “They’ll never get in.”  
  
“And we’ll never get out,” Frost added as she checked the phone on the table. “No signal.”  
  
“When you said the room sealed I wasn’t expecting a mini fortress,” Rose said to Ganesh with a smile. “Nice job.”  
  
Rose’s eyes swept the room as she reached into her bag for her mobile. Her identity badge was lying by the cabinet table where it had fallen and she sucked in a breath at the sight of it. Looking over at Harriet Jones who eyes had also gone to the abandoned badge, Rose breathed, “Thanks for that.” The older woman nodded.  
  
“Can someone please tell me what is happening?!” Ganesh begged, his voice almost hysterical. “And please I need more than just ‘aliens’ and ‘run’.”  
  
“I’m afraid I don’t fully understand,” Harriet told him gently. “I was in here earlier… well,” the woman blushed slightly and gestured to a case on the table. “I was reading the emergency protocols.”  
  
Frost was at the case in an instant and opened it, pulling out the files to read.  
  
“And I saw the aliens change bodies,” Harriet explained weakly as she pointed to the skin that was still draped over one of the chairs. Ganesh’s whole face changed and he looked ready to be sick, not that Rose blamed him.  
  
“I know it’s a lot,” Rose said gently to the man. “But we have to focus.” Rose took a breath and forced a smile for Ganesh. “Well first things first, I’m Rose Tyler. I’m a consultant for UNIT on aliens.” She gestured towards Frost and added, “This is Lt. Colonel Frost… uh, I don’t actually know your first name.”  
  
Frost looked up at the civilians and then back at Rose. “I answer to Frost, but my first name is Elizabeth.”   
  
“I’m Harriet Jones,” Harriet announced holding up her badge, clutching it like a lifeline. “I’m the MP Flydale North.”  
  
“I’m Indra Ganesh,” the Indian man offered with a nervous nod. “I’m a junior secretary with the Ministry of Defense.”   
  
“Great,” Rose remarked with a smile. “Nice to properly meet you. Indra can you and Harriet start checking all of these cupboards for anything that might help us. Also, keep an eye out for anything you don’t recognise and let Frost and I know.”  
  
Harriet took charge of the search at once, directing Ganesh to one of the larger cupboards with instructions to move across the wall and meet her on the other side. Frost watched them for a moment before her eyes landed on Rose’s phone.  
  
“That’s not going to work,” Frost reminded her quietly. “Three inches of steel will block the signal.”  
  
“Not this phone,” Rose countered with a smile as she leaned against the table by Frost. “It works anyplace, anytime and anywhere. No restrictions or contracts needed.”  
  
Frost’s eyes widened as she understood the statement. She eyes went back to the seemingly ordinary phone. “He gave you that?” she asked in an awed voice. “And it can call through time and space.”  
  
“Yep,” Rose said popping the p slightly. “So three inches of steel isn’t a problem.” Rose bit her lip, “The problem is who to call.” She nodded towards the skin. “We don’t know how deep this goes.”  
  
“Surely not Benton…,” Frost said before shaking her head. “I wish we knew more.”  
  
“Well I can start with my contacts,” Rose offered as she dialled the number that Spock was attached to. “We’ve got to start somewhere and maybe they can identify the species.”   
  
There was a conference phone speaker on the table and after a brief moment of debate, Rose hooked her phone into it. Frost nodded in approval and Rose hit the button for Spock. The phone rang only once before the calm collected voice of the Xylok came through.  
  
“Hello Rose,” Spock greeted.  
  
“Incredible,” Harriet Jones gasped as she looked at the phone and then at Rose. “How can you have a signal?”  
  
“Superphone,” Rose replied with a smile at Harriet and Ganesh. “Spock we’ve officially got hostile aliens on our hands and I need some identification and background.”  
  
“Spock?” Indra asked in a shocked tone. “Who is this? Someone at UNIT?”  
  
“I am a Xylok,” Spock answered sounding a bit impatient. “Please give me as much information as you have on the aliens and I will run a search.”  
  
A cry of alarm from Harriet made Rose spin and look over towards the older woman. She was standing next to a tall cupboard, but a body was on the floor next to her. Judging from the position and it earlier absence, Rose guessed that it must have fallen out.  
  
“Oh god!” Indra gasped as he reached Harriet first. “That's the Prime Minister!”  
  
Rose leaned over the table to see the man’s face and grimaced at the horrified expression on his face, but there was no doubt that it was the prime minister.  
  
“Why didn’t they take his body?” Frost asked thoughtfully from beside Rose.  
  
“But he was driven away!?” Indra gasped, his eyes still locked on the body. “That's impossible. He left this afternoon. The Prime Minister left Downing Street, he was driven away!”  
  
“Who told you that?” Rose asked as she walked around the table.  
  
“Margaret Blaine from MI5,” Indra responded automatically.   
  
“What did she look like?” Rose questioned as she examined the Prime Minister thoughtfully and ignored the queasy feeling in her stomach from the examination.   
  
“Uh,” Indra stumbled for a moment before he said, “She was shorter than Harriet, short blonde hair and wearing a blue dress.”  
  
“Was she heavy?” Rose asked.  
  
“What?” Indra asked.  
  
“Was she a heavy set woman?” Rose repeated patiently before sighing. “Fat?”  
  
“Yes, I suppose so,” Indra said with a slight moment of hesitation.  
  
“That’s it then,” Rose decided as she turned to Frost. “They must need larger people. The general and Greene were both heavy large men.”  
  
“I suppose that makes sense,” Frost agreed thoughtfully. “But they are still larger than those people.”  
  
“They said something about a gas exchange,” Harriet remembered suddenly. “After… the body change. One of them, if you’ll pardon the word, farted and another said something about fixing the gas exchange.”  
  
“Perhaps a compression field,” Spock suggested through the phone. Rose almost jumped, she’d forgotten that he was listening. “That would allow them to shrink themselves down a small bit, but it would not be enough to allow them to fit inside slimmer humans.”  
  
“Which explains killing the Prime Minister instead of taking him over,” Frost observed.  
  
Rose nodded and finished walking over to the Prime Minister, with Indra’s help she adjusted the body so he was lying flat on the floor and gently crossed his arms over his chest.  
  
“Sorry,” Rose said in a soft voice, unsure of what else to say. Indra said something which sounded like a prayer under his breath and the room was still for a moment.  
  
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” Frost called speaking up, “But we’ve got to figure out something. All the names listed in the emergency protocols are dead downstairs! If the compression field doesn’t work for skinny people then we should contact Benton.”  
  
“Let’s get a bit more information first,” Rose suggested calmly as she climbed to her feet. “See if we can identify the species and weaknesses for Benton before he has to try to attack number 10.” Rose walked back over to the table. “Alright, Spock we have eight feet tall, light green creatures that require a compression field.”  
  
“I require more data than that,” Spock told her regretfully. “Please provide me with any details you have noticed.” Rose shut her eyes and recited a physical description of the aliens and was grateful when no interrupted her. “Face and shape, that narrows it down to five thousand planets within travelling distance,” Spock announced. “More data is needed.”  
  
“Uh they have a good sense of smell,” Rose guessed. “One of them described me as a bag of hormones and adrenaline.”  
  
“Access to the compression technology,” Frost offered suddenly. “And their blood is green.”  
  
“The technology of the ship,” Rose added quickly.  
  
“Wait a minute! Did you notice, when they fart - if you'll pardon the word - it doesn't just smell like a fart - if you'll pardon the word - it's something else, what is it, it's more like uh... um...”  
  
“Bad breath,” Indra finished quickly stepping closer to the phone with the others.  
  
“Calcium decay added,” Spock confirmed. “Match located. Aliens are natives of Raxacoricofallapatorius.”  
  
“Raxacoricofallapatorius,” Rose repeated carefully, unable to help the small smile on her face. “Okay, any information on if this an invasion of some kind?”  
  
“No,” Spock replied quickly. “According to the files I copied from the Judon ships when they were last in the solar system Raxacoricofallapatorius is a peaceful planet and a member of the Raxas Alliance. They have a council government structure lead by the Lord Predator.”  
  
“Lord Predator?” Harriet asked doubtfully.  
  
“A traditional title that honours the native’s traditions of ritualistic hunting which they recreate on major holidays,” Spock explained patiently.  
  
“Okay,” Rose said interrupting the lesson. “But if they are peaceful then what is this about.”  
  
“In the Judoon’s files about Raxacoricofallapatorius, there is a notion that the criminal Slitheen family are from the planet. They fled from the planet after their rule of the planet caused the crash of the planet’s government and nearly started a war. That was several centuries ago and since then the family has committed a long list of crimes across the universe including three cases of planet murder.”  
  
“Planet murder?” Indra repeated in a soft place. “Please tell me-”  
  
“Sorry, it’s exactly what it sounds like,” Rose told him seriously, raising her eyes to meet his.  
  
“The entire family was tried and found guilty in perpetuity and sentenced to death,” Spock added. “But most remain at large.”  
  
“So this isn’t an invasion,” Rose confirmed with a relieved, but thoughtful smile. “Spock would you be able to do a global scan to see if there are any more of these things on Earth.”  
  
“That will take some time,” Spock informed her “But it is possible since they are calcium rather than carbon based life forces.”  
  
“Get on that, oh and did you and K-9 learn anything else about the ship or the signal?”  
  
“The ship is quite standard, but I cannot get a detailed enough scan to determine what is wrong with the ship. K-9 has been monitoring the signal.”  
  
“The signal is a looping message Mistress Rose,” K-9 robot voice suddenly said through the phone, earning an amused look from Frost. “It is an advertisement for nuclear fuel.”  
  
“Nuclear fuel?” Rose repeated confused. “Is that all?”  
  
“Affirmative Mistress,” K-9 responded. “Source of nuclear fuel is unknown.”  
  
Rose exchanged a confused looks with Harriet but saw a thoughtful look on Frost’s face.  
  
“Frost?” Rose questioned.  
  
“Maybe the nuclear missiles,” Frost suggested. “Perhaps them or a nuclear plant.”  
  
“Then why take over Britain,” Rose questioned doubtfully. “The Americans have a lot more missiles.”   
  
“I don’t know,” Frost admitted with a shake of her head. “Spock any thoughts on how to destroy the Slithleen?”  
  
“The use of the compression field with their calcium bodies may have made them vulnerable to ascetic acid.”  
  
“Ascetic acid,” Rose said thoughtfully as she crossed her arms. “You mean like vinegar.”  
  
“Precisely,” Spock agreed.  
  
“Great thanks,” Rose told him as she reached for the phone. “Call me when you have more, but we should have enough to contact Geneva.”  
  
“Shall I monitor UNIT communications?” Spock questioned and Rose could feel Frost’s eyes on her.  
  
“Under the circumstances, that is probably a good idea,” Rose confirmed as she ignored her own unease. “If you can manage the scan for more Slithleen let me know.”   
  
Hanging up the phone, Rose pulled it from the speaker centre and handed it to Lt. Colonel Frost. “Benton’s number is programmed in,” Rose told her with a sheepish smile. “It’s his emergency con number and not his office phone so you should be able to reach him.”  
  
Frost took the phone from Rose’s hand and turned it over a few times to examine it. Then it suddenly rang with a very particular ring tone that made Rose sigh. It was her mother.  
  
“Ignore it,” Rose told Frost.  
  
The phone stopped ringing and then promptly started again just as Frost was scrolling through the contact list. Rolling her eyes, Rose grabbed the phone.  
  
“Sorry,” she apologised quickly. “I’ll appease her and we can get back to work.”  
  
“Who is it?” Harriet asked Frost in a low voice, but the Lt. Colonel could only shrug.  
  
“Hello Mum,” Rose greeted pleasantly. “This isn’t a good time, I’m out with the-”  
  
“Don’t even finish that lie,” Jackie snapped on the other end. “I just got off the phone with Sharon and Shareen and despite their best efforts at lying I know you aren’t with them.”  
  
“Mum,” Rose begged softly. “Can we do this later? Please.”  
  
“No, we cannot do this later!” Jackie shrieked at her. “Rose I’ve known for years that you have secrets, but this has gone on too long.”  
  
“What are you talking about?” Rose questioned, trying to keep her voice calm and even.  
  
“I spent year watching the finances,” Jackie informed her “I know how much money you inherited and I keep an eye on things. There’s extra income from somewhere. You told me that you haven’t got a job, but you’re making more than twenty thousand pounds a year that isn’t connected to the investments.”  
  
“Mum-” Rose started to say, but Jackie was on a rant.  
  
“I told myself that you’re an adult now and doing far better with your life than I was at your age, but now…. Rose why won’t you talk to me?”  
  
“Mum, it’s not what you think,” Rose insisted frantically.   
  
“I hope not,” Jackie huffed, sounding half hysterical. “Cause the only thing I can come up with to explain the lying, the secrets and the money is that you’re a call girl!”  
  
Rose’s eyes widened and she was suddenly very aware that she was blushing and that the others in the room were watching her with confusion.  
  
“Mum it’s not like that,” Rose insisted sharply. “I’m a consultant for a private firm and I have a confidential agreement. I’m not allowed to talk about it.”  
  
“You haven’t even finished your second year,” Jackie hissed. “And I doubt I’d have a policeman waiting in the living room if that was all you were doing! I’ve tried Rose,” Jackie sounded close to tears. “I know I wasn’t the best mother Rose, but really I-”  
  
“Is the policeman heavy?” Rose asked loudly to distract her mother. If she was trembling a little bit, Rose ignored it and hoped the others would too.  
  
“What!?” Jackie gasped.  
  
“Is the policeman fat?” Rose asked impatiently. “Mum this is very important!”  
  
“I supposed so,” Jackie answered in a confused voice. “Plus he’s got some gas issues… No, don’t you try to distract me, Rose!”  
  
“Mum you need to leave the house!” Rose cried urgently. “Leave now and run! Just run!”  
  
“What are you on about?” Jackie asked. “Hold on what’s that noise? Oh, what is he doing in there?”  
  
“Mum!” Rose shouted into the phone. “No, don’t look, just leave out the back!”  
  
A sudden scream echoed through the phone and Rose screamed, “Mum!” in return.


	29. World War III: Best Way Out

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Twenty-Nine: World War III: Best Way Out  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
……………………….  
  
Jackie Tyler screamed as the large green creature took shape in front of her when the blue light faded. A fleshy pile fell to the floor as the creature rose to its full height and looked down at her. It was unlike anything she’d ever seen before and one of its long arms with horrible claws reached for her. She screamed and stumbled backwards into the dining room as the phone dropped from her hand.   
  
“Mum!’ she heard frantically shouted from the phone.  
  
She didn’t take her eyes off of the creature and shivered as it chuckled at her slowly backing away.  
  
“Not even a good hunt,” the creature lamented in strange rumbling voice. “And no knowledge of daughter, ever more a pity.”  
  
“Daughter?” Jackie stuttered, “What do you want with Rose?”  
  
“My job is to remove trouble,” the creature answered as it took another step towards her. Jackie skittered around the dining table, putting a few between her and creature. “And the family has reported your daughter as trouble.”  
  
It lunged towards her and Jackie screamed while shoving a chair forward. The creature merely used its long arms to bat the piece of furniture out of the way and sent it crashing into the wall. Jackie’s back hit the wall and she whimpered as the creature moved closer to her. In a moment it was standing over her with a strange smile on its face.  
  
“Disappointing,” it grumbled. “Very disappointing.” As it raised its arm, but suddenly stopped and sniffed the air. It turned away from Jackie to look back towards the front door. “More prey,” the creature said sounding cheerful at the prospect. “A strong male of the species. Much more enjoyable.”   
  
As the creature moved away a tall dark haired man in a long grey trench coat teamed with clothing out of world war two. Strangely in his hands was a brightly colour water gun and Jackie opened her mouth to scream. The creature roared at the newcomer, but he just smirked and raised the water gun.  
  
“Captain Jack Harkness,” he greeted with a cheeky smile. “And I hear you don’t like this stuff.”  
  
A gush of liquid shot from the front of the water gun and hit the creature squarely in the chest. Jackie’s eyes widened in shock and horror as the creature shuddered. Then it exploded into a shower of green globs all over her dining set.  
  
Her rescuer bent down and retrieved the fallen mobile. “Rose, it's Jack. Your Mum’s fine and I’m taking her to Sarah Jane’s until you’re finished.”  
  
Jack walked over to Jackie who was still sitting stunned on the floor and quickly helped her to her feet. She didn’t really notice as Jack started walking her towards the door and only vaguely heard him speaking with her daughter.  
  
“Thank God Rita Anne was visiting Mickey,” Jackie whispered weakly in shock. “I’m not sure her heart could have taken that.”   
  
Jack laughed and handed her the phone. “Rose wants a word.”  
  
Jackie took the phone with slightly shaking hand. “Rose Marion Tyler what are you into!?”  
  
“Mum,” Rose sighed at the other end. “I’ll explain later, right now I’ve got to take care of business. Jack will keep you safe. He’s a friend and you can trust him.”  
  
Then the line went dead and Jackie glared at the phone. She hit the speed dial for Rose and glared when she received a busy signal. Turning her gaze to her rescuer she examined the water gun in his hands and the bits of creature all over the room.  
  
“Sorry about the mess,” Jack apologised with a smile. “Figured you didn’t want me to wait.”  
  
“You’re a friend of Rose’s?” Jackie questioned as she climbed to her feet.  
  
“Yes,” Jack replied calmly.  
  
“And you know what she’s into?”  
  
“Afraid so,” he answered with a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry she’ll be-” Jack was cut off by Jackie Tyler slapping him across the face.  
  
……………………..  
  
Rose had hung up and handed the phone straight to Frost. While she was grateful that she knew about the attack on her mother and knew that Jack was keeping her safe it had cost them time.  
  
“My friend Jack helped her,” Rose explained quickly to the others. “He used vinegar to kill the thing, apparently it doesn’t take much, but in their natural state they are very vulnerable to it.”  
  
“Just like Hannibal!” Harriet declared with a smile.  
  
Rose tilted her head in confusion. “Sorry?”  
  
“Hannibal crossed the Alps by dissolving boulders with vinegar,” Harriet explained with a smile.  
  
“Did he say anything else?” Frost asked sharply.  
  
“No, just that he’d keep my mother safe,” Rose admitted, but Frost was distracted as she was connected to Brigadier Benton.   
  
“Sir, this is Lt. Colonel Frost from Number 10. I’m afraid that situation is extremely dangerous. The aliens have killed almost all the representatives who came today, only Tyler and myself remain and we are sealed inside of the cabinet room.” Frost listened to Benton on the other end for a moment before she reached over and hooked the phone back into the speaker system. “Say again please,” Frost requested.  
  
“Do we know their plan yet?” Benton questioned. “Or how many there are?”  
  
“My sources indicate that this is a criminal family,” Rose told him quickly. “I don’t think there are too many of them.”  
  
“Well we know that a lot of strange people have been arriving at Downing Street in the last few hours,” Benton said. “Politicians whose presence makes no sense.”  
  
“Are they heavier people?” Frost asked with a deepening frown.  
  
“Uh, yes I suppose so.”  
  
“The Slitheen are using compression technology to walk around inside human skins,” Rose explained feeling her stomach turn as she said it. “They need larger people to make it work.”  
  
“I see,” Benton replied slowly with anger in his voice. “Have you discovered anything else?”  
  
“Their body chemistry makes them very vulnerable to vinegar,” Frost offered quickly. “But we aren’t in a position to attack them. I suggest a strike against number 10 to deal with the threat.”  
  
“I’ll see what I can do,” Benton promised. “But with the aliens in power and the danger of raising an alarm, it might be tricky.”  
  
“We’re safe for now,” Rose told him. “And Spock is still working on it.”  
  
“Hold on,” Benton suddenly said. “What?” his voice was faint. “You need to hear this, there is an international broadcast coming from number 10.”  
  
A moment later the voice of one of the Slitheen’s in the human body of Joseph Green spoke. “The greatest experts in extra-terrestrial events came here tonight. They gathered in the common cause. But the news I bring you now is grave indeed. The experts are dead. Murdered - right in front of me by alien hands. Peoples of the Earth, heed my words. These visitors do not come in peace.”  
  
Rose looked up at Frost in alarm. What were the aliens doing?  
  
“Our inspectors have searched the sky above our heads and they have found massive weapons of destruction, capable of being deployed within 45 seconds.”  
  
“What?” Rose asked loudly. “There’s no ship!”  
  
“Our technicians can - baffle - the alien probes. But not for long. We are facing extinction. Unless we strike first. The United Kingdom stands directly beneath the belly of the mothership. I beg the United Nations - pass an emergency resolution. Give us the access codes! A nuclear strike at the heart of the ship is our only chance of survival. Because... from this moment on... it is my solemn duty to inform you... planet Earth is at war.”  
  
“What are they up to?” Frost asked with a frown.  
  
“What’s this about access codes?” Rose questioned them.   
  
“The British Isles can't gain access to atomic weapons without a special resolution from the UN,” Harriet explained suddenly. “All access codes are kept secret by the United Nations otherwise. They must be after the weapons for some reason.”  
  
“Sir, can’t you alert the Security Council?” Rose asked Benton through the phone.  
  
“We’ll alert them, but the panic that is gripping the streets is the most pressing issue. If they refuse to release the codes these Slitheen might do damage another way in revenge and the people in the streets who are panicking will riot.”  
  
“But if we alert them…” Frost shook her head, “What is this all about?”   
  
Rose bit her lip and then turned and walked to the doorway. She summoned her sword and before the others could stop her pressed the button to open the door. Three of the large aliens were standing in front of the doorway.  
  
“Right then,” Rose said tightly. “Enough of the waiting game.” She raised her chin and glared at the nearest one. “Who are you lot and what are you doing?” Behind her, Frost blocked the view of the phone by sitting on the edge of the table.  
  
“Jocrassa Fel Fotch Pasameer Day Slitheen at your service,” one of them greet in an amused voice. “And you are Rose Tyler.” The alien glared at her. “My cousin was dispatched to take your mother hostage, but is seems she got lucky.”  
  
“My mother,” Rose repeated softly, trying not to give anything away. “Most people would consider taking on Jackie Tyler suicide.” She paused as if considering something. “You’re the ones who set up that ship in the North Sea, the one advertising nuclear fuel. How’s that supposed to work? Fuel from where?”  
  
“Oh so the humans did figure out the advert,” a new voice almost cooed and a short heavy blonde woman in the blue dress appeared. Rose smirked as she noted the woman’s left hand was flapping around as she moved the arm. The woman glared at Rose and her eyes dropped to the sword she held.   
  
“What’s the plan then?” Rose asked sharply once again.  
  
“Why put the world on red alert?” Indra asked behind her.  
  
“Stupid little animals,” Margaret observed with a sick little smile. “Running around so frightened.”  
  
“That’s it then,” Rose remarked with a frown. “Make us panic so we give you give the Prime Minister control of the nuclear systems. That’s why you picked Britain, with the weapons from here you’re in a good position to attack every other nuclear country. They retaliate with their nuclear missiles and suddenly the whole planet is nuked in World War Three.”  
  
“And we can sit through it in our spaceship waiting in the Thames. Not crashed. Just parked. Only two minutes away,” Margret informed them smugly.   
  
“But you'll destroy the planet, this beautiful place. What for?” Harriet demanded from behind Rose.  
  
“Money,” Rose spat. “They’ll sell off the nuclear remains of Earth as fuel, exactly what their advert promises.”  
  
“Sale of the century. We reduce the Earth to molten slag, then sell it,” Margret announced with smirk. “Piece by piece. Radioactive chucks capable of powering every cut-price starliner and budget cargo ship. There's a recession out there, Miss Tyler. People are buying cheap. This rock becomes raw fuel.”  
  
“And the five billion people who died?” Rose hissed.  
  
“Stupid pigs,” Margaret laughed. “Rather like our cute little alien don’t you think?”  
  
“Leave,” Rose ordered in a low angry voice. “Go to your ship and just leave. This is your one chance. If you don’t then I’ll stop you and the cost will be a lot more than one hand.”  
  
“And what can you doing to do from your little box?” Margaret asked with a hateful look.  
  
“You might be surprised,” Rose answered as she lifted her hand to the button. “By what this girl can do from a box.” As the metal door slid back into place, Rose turned on her heel and walked back to the phone. “Alright, sir they are all here at Downing Street. Now that they are in the final phase they can’t stray far.”  
  
“While that’s good to know,” Benton said, sounding angry and exhausted. “There is a limit to the forces I can muster in London at the moment. Most of UNIT forces were scrambled for combat and aren’t in the city.”  
  
“Aren’t in the city?” Rose asked in alarm. “Then what forces are in the city?”  
  
“Regular military is in the city,” Benton groaned. “But they answer to the Prime Minister’s office and not to Geneva.”  
  
“Can’t you attack with the troops you have?” Harriet asked urgently.  
  
“It’s not the Slitheen standing guard out there,” Frost said sadly. “Those are human policemen outside and we can’t reach them without alerting the Slitheen.”   
  
“What can we do?” Rose questioned, tugging at her necklace nervously.  
  
“I’ve alerted the Security Council in New York and they are stalling for time,” Benton told them. “But it won’t work for long. I’m not sure that we can move enough troops to take out the Slitheen quickly enough before they become suspicious.” Benton sighed at the other end of the line. “And we don’t know what other technology they might have.”  
  
There was an uncomfortable pause at the other end of the line. “Benton?” Rose asked, “What is it?”  
  
“Well if they are all contained in one building then…”  
  
“Then the simple solution is to destroy the building,” Rose finished nervously as she looked around the room.   
  
“Can you get ahold of the Doctor?” Benton asked. “Could he get you out of there? Geneva HQ is recommending a quick missile strike and the cabinet room cannot withstand long-range attacks.”  
  
“I can try,” Rose answered softly. “What if he can’t?”  
  
“Then we’ll think of something else,” Benton assured them. “Maybe I can airlift a vat of vinegar above the building,” he offered trying to lighten the mood.  
  
“I’ll call him,” Rose promised seriously. “Stand by for me to call you back.”  
  
Rose pulled the phone out of the speaker phone and hit the speed-dial for the TARDIS. She was aware of Frost’s curious gaze and the concerned expressions of Harriet and Indra. A few moment later she sighed and lowered the phone. “Voicemail is the bane of my relationship with him.”  
  
“So now what?” Indra asked nervously. “We’ve got to be running out of time.” He looked over at Frost, “Surely they’ll destroy the building soon. It’s the best chance to avoid collate damage.”  
  
“I’m not sure they’ll risk it,” Frost admitted with a look over at Rose. “The person Rose was trying to reach is a powerful ally of Earth, but if UNIT hurts or kills Rose….”  
  
“There’d be hell to pay,” Rose agreed with forced cheer. “Or at least the Doctor to pay.” Rose’s expression saddened. “I’m not sure they could withstand that storm.”  
  
“I suppose you should call Benton back then,” Harriet suggested. “Surely they’ll think of something.”  
  
“Yeah,” Rose turned her attention to her phone and dialled a number. The phone rang and she lifted it to her ear just as Spock came on the line.  
  
“Spock,” Rose greeted softly. “Are you aware of the situation?”  
  
“I have been monitoring UNIT communications and I am aware of the current suggested means of attack,” the Xylok replied. “The Security Council in New York is still officially in discussion, but demonstrations have already begun all over the world to protest the time it is taking them.”  
  
“So if something doesn’t happen soon Earth might start tearing itself apart,” Rose observed as she nibbled on her bottom lip.  
  
“According to report three people have already been killed across the globe in these demonstrations,” Spock informed her calmly. ‘While not violent yet in nature, I’m afraid that people are causing rioting and stampedes. It will only get worse.”  
  
“Any suggestions?” Rose asked with a tightening in her chest. “If all of the enemies are in this building how can we quickly neutralise them without them having time to escape or retaliate with any weapons they might have?”  
  
“I’m afraid the plan suggested by UNTI has the highest likely hood of success with the least damage to human life. A frontal assault would be between humans and alert the Slitheen and further delays will alert them that their plan has been discovered. My investigation of the ship has provided no information on what arms it might carry as it is a refitted escort ship.”  
  
“Any good news?” Rose questioned with a weak chuckle.  
  
“You friend Jack Harkness was able to convince K-9 he was an ally before the dog opened fire,” Spock replied. “And you mother is down in the kitchen with tea so she is not hearing this conversation.”  
  
“That is good news,” Rose agreed with wide eyes. “Alright then, thanks, Spock.”  
  
“You are about to do something very foolish aren’t you?” Spock asked.   
  
“Possibly, keep an eye out,” Rose replied before hanging up the phone. She turned her attention back to the others. “Demonstrations have already started because the UN hasn’t handed over the access codes. Things are going to turn bloody one way or another very quickly. Spock can’t verify what technology the Slitheen might have to attack Earth directly. While they probably can’t destroy us, they might be able to kill a lot of people when they determine that their plan isn’t going to work.”  
  
“What do you suggest?” Harriet asked with a remarkably calm expression.  
  
“Use the missile,” Rose said firmly as she did her best to keep any fear out of her voice. “If we blow up number 10 then we can destroy the threat while it is still isolated.” Rose swallowed, “They’ve already killed a lot of people and have made it clear that they have no problems killing billions of us.” Rose looked at all of them. “While I appreciate UNIT trying to find a solution that doesn’t’ risk us… I’m not selfish enough to want to risk this spiralling out of control.”  
  
“I agree,” Harriet announced firmly from across the room. “And as the only elected representative for the people of the UK in this room, I say that using the missile is the best option to avoid further danger to the people. On their behalf, I order you to see this missile launched.”  
  
Frost merely nodded and while Indra looked a bit ill, he also nodded in agreement. Rose forced a small smile and accessed the internet with her phone, grateful for her recent upgrade. Her first phone hadn’t had the new connections, but then it had been destroyed and she’d gotten the latest Blackberry to replace it. Quickly she accessed the UNIT website and entered the restricted sections. The tiny screen made it difficult, but it was doable.   
  
“What are you doing?” Frost asked as she started coming around the table.  
  
“I won’t ask anyone else to do this,” Rose said as she started to hack into UNIT using the access codes she’d learned from all her times hacking. “Not UNIT or Spock.” Rose gave Frost a small smile, “That way the Doctor isn’t justified being angry with them.”  
  
“If the rumours are true he’s going to be angry no matter who fires it,” Frost reminded her in a low voice.  
  
“Well, I’m not planning on dying,” Rose informed them. “Indra, Frost start preparing that cupboard,” Rose ordered as she pointed to the small cabinet off of the main room. “It’s small and strong so we might be able to ride it out in there.”   
  
“You think that will work?” Indra asked as he moved towards the cabinet.  
  
“Well I have it on good information that I’m not supposed to die today,” Rose replied with a tiny smile. “Now history can be rewritten, but I’m willing to think positive. Think of it like an earthquake and we’re going to be standing under the strongest support.”  
  
Frost gave Rose a searching look but nodded. She moved over with Indra and began cleaning out the small room. Rose moved away from the edge of the table as the two of them started to pile boxes on the table.  
  
“Harriet,” Rose called, drawing the woman’s attention. “Check the emergency protocols. I’m going to need to access the royal navy to get this done.”  
  
“Here it is,” Harriet declared a moment later. “The password buffalo overrides all security measures.”  
  
“Great,” Rose entered the password carefully on the tiny keyboard. “This really isn’t the sort of thing phones were designed for,” she muttered. “I’m in. Here we go the H.M.S. Taurean, Trafalgar Class Submarine, 10 miles off the coast of Plymouth.” Rose pulled up the list of missiles. “What do you think Frost? Sub Haffoon, UGMA4A?”  
  
“That will do the job,” Frost agreed from the cupboard. She shook her head. “God your boyfriend is going to kill Benton for even putting this idea into your head.”  
  
“Well my idea was leaning towards using my sword and trying to attack them all,” Rose chuckled darkly. “So this is actually probably a safer idea for me personally given the length of their arms. And don’t call him my boyfriend.” A moment later Rose took a breath and looked over at the others. “Target is set and missile in in our control. Are we ready?”  
  
“Yes,” Harriet said with a firm nod. “Fire.”  
  
“Okay,” Rose breathed, fighting back her unease. “Firing.” She pressed the tiny button on her mobile and watched the small message appear on her screen. “There it goes.”  
  
“Counter defence will try to stop it,” Frost reminded her.  
  
“556 was just neutralised,” Rose announced as she moved towards the cupboard. “Either by UNIT or Spock so we’re good on that front. Good thing too, this thing doesn’t allow for speed hacking. The four of them climbed into the cupboard. “God I never want to hack on a mobile again!” Rose grumbled as she moved to join the others in the cupboard.   
  
As Rose sat down she could hear the fire alarm sounding through the building. Indra closed the door behind them, sealing the small space. Unseen to them the area around Downing Street was being evacuated, but the aliens remained struggling to put on their skins.  
  
“I hope they don’t escape,” Harriet told them all as they huddled together.   
  
“They didn’t have their skins on,” Indra observed as they huddled at the bottom of the tiny space. “Surely it takes time to get into those.”  
  
“Here it comes,” Rose breathed as a soft whistling could b heard.  
  
“Nice knowing you,” Harriet said to them all as Rose slipped the phone back into her bag. They joined hands and Harriet looked up towards the ceiling. “Hannibal!”   
  
Suddenly the small room violent shook and a tremendous roar vibrating throughout the space. Rose gasped as the air was forced from her lungs and she was knocked into Indra. They were all thrown to the side as the entire cupboard was tossed by the explosion. Then everything went still. Rose carefully moved to her knees and studied the tiny room, it was intact. She shifted slightly to avoid putting her weight on the others and crawled to the doorway. With Frost’s help, she was able to force it open, knocking back the debris.   
  
“We were lucky,” Frost observed as they moved out into the shell of the cabinet room.   
  
The steel walls were bent and smoking from the explosion, but they had sheltered the small cupboard from the worst of the explosive forces. Together they forced down the weakened steel door of the cabinet room enough to slip outside. Harriet was first and quickly climbed to her feet.  
  
“Made in Britain,” Harriet announced proudly and Indra chuckled at the sentiment.  
  
A sergeant in police black rushed up to them. “Are you alright?”  
  
Rose grinned as Harriet pulled out her remarkably intact ID card and held it up. “Harriet Jones. MP, Flydale North. I want you to contact UN immediately, tell the ambassadors the crisis is over and they can step down.” When the sergeant hesitated Harriet barked, “Go on, tell the news!”  
  
“Yes, ma'am.” As the sergeant rushed off, Harriet looked around with a frown.  
  
“Someone's got a hell of a job sorting this lot out,” Harriet laughed as she looked around. “Oh, Lord! We haven't even got a Prime Minister!”  
  
Rose smiled at the woman while trying not to laugh. “Well, I’d certainly vote for you.” Rose grinned at the look on Harriet’s face.  
  
“Now, don't be silly. I'm only a back-bencher.”  
  
“They wouldn’t have to debrief you,” Rose pointed out, brushing dust off of her jeans.   
  
“Look, I'd better go and see if I can help,” Harriet told them as she gestured for Indra to follow. The man nodded quickly and followed her over the rubble.   
  
Rose climbed over the rubble and paused to watch as Harriet approached the crowd and the media. Smiling, she glanced over at Frost who nodded in silent agreement. Even at the distance, they were able to hear Harriet’s speech.   
  
“The crisis has passed! Ladies and Gentlemen - I have something to say to you all! Mankind stands tall - proud - and undefeated. God bless the human race.”  
  
Turning away they both headed carefully down the road away from the media crowd. Rose pulled out her phone and hit the number for Benton. The call was answered instantly.  
  
“Tyler? God are you alright?”  
  
“I’m fine,” Rose said cheerfully. “A little bruised, but fine. Frost is okay and Harriet Jones MP, Flydale North is already working on clean up.”  
  
“You launched the missile yourself,” Benton groaned. “Why?”  
  
“There wasn’t time to find another solution,” Rose answered gently. “And I didn’t want to ask you or someone else who is my friend to launch something that might kill me.”  
  
There was silence on the other end for a moment before Benton sighed. “What am I supposed to do with you?”  
  
“Well how about not letting me be prosecuted for hacking into the royal navy and launching a missile. I’d really like to not go to prison,” Rose suggested ignoring a snort from Frost.  
  
“I’m sure I can manage that,” Benton replied sounding both amused and exhausted.   
  
“One question,” Rose told him quickly. “Was it you lot who handled the counter defence?”  
  
“Yes,” Benton answered with another sigh. “Once we saw the missile had been launched to Downing Street we knew what you had done.”  
  
“Thanks for that,’ Rose told him honestly with a tiny smile. “My phone really isn’t designed for hacking even with web access.” Rose sighed softly. “Well one thing you should know if that my Mum now knows about aliens,” Rose told him nervously. “I’m afraid I’ll have to explain some things to her.”  
  
“I see,” Benton muttered slowly. “Do you need me-”  
  
“I’ll handle it,” Rose told him quickly. “My Mum doesn’t handle authority figures any better than I do.” Rose sighed, “Mind you the temptation to jump on a plane to Australia and seek asylum with Tegan is very strong.”  
  
Benton chuckled on the other end, “Just try to stay out of trouble Tyler.”  
  
“I make no promises,” Rose added with a laugh before she hung up the phone. She looked around the gathered people who were peering at the rubble. “Not too bad for the first widely known first contact,” Rose observed as she looked over at Forst.  
  
“If it is admitted,” Frost reminded her with a tired shake of her head.  
  
“You don’t think it will be?” Rose questioned.  
  
“Only a few people actually saw the aliens and the ship can be passed off as a small earth plane that was altered for an elaborate ruse.” Frost shrugged as they walked down the street and away from the crowds. “I’m not sure they’re ready yet.”  
  
“Maybe,” Rose offered slowly, rolling her sore shoulders. “Anyway, I’ll leave this in your hands, Elizabeth, I’ve got another crisis to go and deal with.”  
  
“Right then,” Elizabeth stood at attention and saluted Rose. “It has been a pleasure, Thorn.”  
  
Rose smiled and held out a hand for Frost to shake. “The pleasure was mine Lt. Colonel,” Rose paused. “I only hope when they promote you you’ll be a pleasant Colonel. I’ve not had much luck with people of that rank.”  
  
Frost couldn’t quite contain the smile and said, “I’ll find a car to take you home.”  
  
“That would be nice,” Rose agreed. “It’s been a long long day.” Rose swallowed and added, “Please let me know what sort of funerals or memorial is going to be held for the others.”  
  
“I will,” Frost promised softly.   
  
Frost walked over to a group of policemen who looked very confused by the sudden turn of events and Rose watched with amusement as they straightened for the military officer. As she looked around Rose noticed the words “Bad Wolf” spray painted on the side of a building. Judging from the texture, it was fresh. Rose took and looked at the words for a moment before she shook her head and walked over to join Frost as the woman gestured to her. A few minutes later she was in the back of a car heading for home and unfortunately her irate mother.


	30. World War III: Mother and Daughter

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Thirty: World War III: Mother and Daughter  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
AN: I find Jackie one of the most difficult characters to write in this series. I know that sounds strange, but I envision her as having a lot of insecurities that Rose’s success pulls to the surface. She loves her daughter and is proud of the fact she is succeeding, but also feels sidelined because of it. Jackie masks this as best she can, but like everyone has limits.  
  
………………………..  
  
Never had Bannerman Road seemed so frightening to Rose and given that Sarah Jane’s house had once been sieged by the Bane that was an odd thought. She climbed out of the car at the end of the street so that she had a short walk to stretch her legs and collect her thoughts. Everything on the street looked the same as it did before the alien attack. Briefly, Rose’s thoughts went to the Powell Estates and the reactions she could imagine her old building mates having to an alien crash. She snorted at the mental image of signs hanging all over the estate and the parties that she were sure had happened. At that moment she was almost homesick for the small simpler life she had come from.   
  
Walking a bit straighter, Rose headed for Sarah Jane’s house. She supposed it was possible that Jack may have returned her mother to their home, but she imagined that Jack would prefer having Spock and K-9 as a buffer between him and her mother. When she reached the front door, Rose used the sonic pen to open the door and then locked it behind her. Taking a moment to check her appearance in the hall mirror, Rose quickly straightened her hair a bit and brushed off some of the dirt and dust she missed. Hearing some noise in the direction of the kitchen, Rose turned and walked into Sarah Jane’s living room where she found her mother waiting.  
  
Jackie Tyler was wearing on her tracksuits and her dyed blonde hair was in youthful ponytails, but she looked older than Rose had ever seen her mother. Their eyes met and neither spoke as they both studied each other. Rose could feel her mother’s eyes taking in the rip in her jeans and the bruise that she could feel forming on her jaw from being thrown around in the cupboard. Rose allowed the quiet observation, unsure of how to begin the conversation.  
  
“What did Jack tell you?” Rose decided to start with.  
  
“That you work for the United Nations stopping aliens,” Jackie answered harshly. “That’s all he would tell me about it. Wouldn’t even say what was happening today.” Rose mentally called Jack a coward but forced herself to focus on her mother. “When did it start?” Jackie asked her voice tense and strained.  
  
“Remember when I was eleven and kids starting vanishing?” Rose asked and seeing her mother nod she added, “That’s when I found out that aliens were real. It was alien that took everyone and it tried to take me, but I helped defeat it and save everyone. Ever since then I’ve helped deal with aliens when I encountered then.”  
  
Jackie’s face paled slightly at the realisation of just how long it had been. She swallowed thickly and tightened her fingers into a fist. “And that’s what you’ve been hiding?!” Jackie hissed, trying to reign in her anger and failing miserably. “That you fight aliens!” Jackie’s voice grew louder and more anger with every word. “That you make a bloody job out it!” She was shouting now, “That you can’t be bothered to tell me anything! Meanwhile, I’m worried that you’ve set yourself up as an escort or helping with drugs or smuggling because you make secret trips and don’t tell me what you’re doing!”  
  
“Why are you angry about this?!” Rose asked feeling her own temper flaring defensively. “What happened to ‘I’m too busy being proud of you’? If you’ve been so worried why not ask?”  
  
“Because I wasn’t sure it was my business!” Jackie snapped. “I’m not stupid, but come on my daughter bought me a house and was giving me an annual allowance! Asking questions….” Jackie huffed and looked at Rose. “Thing is Rose I don’t see anything of the little girl I raised in you anymore.” Her mother’s voice weakened and sounded ready to break. “I don’t see my daughter, just this stranger that apparently I know nothing about. I don’t see anything of me in you anymore.”  
  
Jackie swallowed as her hands shook slightly. She tried to straighten up but failed looking more defeated than Rose had seen since her Mum’s old abusive boyfriend Theo had been living with them. “Look I get it. At your age was pregnant with you and wasn’t married to your dad yet. I was trying to learn to do hair, not physics and we were living in council flats. Why would you want to tell me anything? That’s what I thought and that’s why I’ve kept my mouth shut.”  
  
“That wasn’t the reason,” Rose gasped nearly crumbling at the words. “Not at all.”  
  
Jackie’s anger returned in a flash. “That what was it!?” She demanded and Rose could already see the sparks flashing in her Mum’s eyes. “Why wouldn’t you trust me if it wasn’t because I was too stupid for you!?”  
  
“I was selfish alright!” Rose shouted almost desperately. “I was selfish,” Rose repeated after taking a breath. “The way it was worked for me because I got to go out and do what I liked and then return home and not have to deal with it. I didn’t have to worry about you worrying or if you’d approve of my decisions or my alien friends. Yeah,  Mum, I’ve got alien friends.” Rose took another breath, “It was selfish and you know what I’m okay with that because like it or not this is my life. I don’t have to live up or down to any expectations that you’ve got!”  
  
“Oh so now I’m a bad mother?” Jackie demanded.  
  
“No,” Rose groaned with a shake of her head as she kept her own temper in check. “You always did the best you could so I would never ever call you a bad mother.” Rose looked Jackie straight in the eye. “But you weren’t perfect and neither was I. We best accept that. We are both imperfect and both have made mistakes.”  
  
There was a tense silence as they sized each other up. Rose was struck by the little confession her mother had made but already knew that it would never be spoken of again. That wasn’t how things worked in the Tyler household which is what had brought them to this point. It would again Rose realised sadly whenever her Mum found out about her dating the Doctor.  
  
“You still should have told me,” Jackie grumbled.  
  
“Maybe,” Rose said, lifting her chin slightly. “But I didn’t. I can’t change that now.”  
  
“That’s not-”  
  
“Yes it is,” Rose interrupted quickly, cutting off her mother. “I’m an adult, a fairly successful one at that. I get good marks, my work with UNIT is fulfilling, I have good friends and I’m making a good life for myself. That is all there is to it.”  
  
“It’s not safe,” her mother argued in a softer tone.  
  
“Nothing is safe,” Rose reminded her much more gently. “The world is full of danger and risk, it’s called being alive.” Jackie didn’t respond so Rose added, “I’ve had help along the way. When I was eleven I was helped by an alien called the Doctor. He saved me and protected me from the alien who was snatching kids,” Rose explained gently. “He’s helped me lots of times against the bad aliens,” she explained. “He’s a friend and the organisation I work for UNIT knows him.” Rose gestured towards the stairs leading to the attic. “That’s how I met Jack too, he’s a friend of the Doctor’s and helped me once against an alien who was hurting people.”  
  
“I want you to stop,” Jackie announced suddenly. “Just stop. If you work for this UNIT then they can hire someone else. It’s not like you need the money.”  
  
“It’s not about the money Mum,” Rose told her. “Never has been.” Rose sighed softly as she searched for the words. “It’s’ about doing something that really matters with my life. Something that I can believe in. I’m lucky that I’ve got that.” Rose laughed softly. “I mean if aliens weren’t a part of my life who knows where I’d be. Might be working in a shop and still living on the estate.”  
  
“I’ve worked in shops,” Jackie huffed. “What’s wrong with that?”  
  
“Nothing,” Rose answered quickly. “But can you honestly say that you loved what you were doing and believed that it made a difference.” Rose swallowed. “Mum the aliens today were going to destroy the world, kill every single human on the planet. I helped stop them,” Rose told her urgently, begging her to understand. “I’m never going to regret standing up against them and stopping them.”  
  
Jackie huffed and walked past Rose. “I’m going home to clean up the mess your Captain Jack made in the dining room and I don’t want to hear a word about aliens for the rest of the night.”  
  
Rose nodded even though her mother couldn’t see her. “That’s fair,” she consented. “I’ll be home soon.”  
  
The front door slammed one last show of her mother’s temper. Rose let out a breath and enjoyed the silence for a moment. Worse than she had hoped and better than she had feared. Briefly Rose wondered what Shareen would have made of her mother’s words and reactions. She was almost tempted to call up the psychology student in hopes of gaining some insight but dismissed the through quickly. Her relationship with her mother was now on thin ice and chipping it away purposefully would not be beneficial.  
  
Walking up the stairs, Rose heard the musical laughter of Jack in the attic and could hear Spock and K-9 talking. She hoped that Jack wasn’t encouraging a snark sessions for his own amusement, but she wouldn’t put it past him. Instead, she found Jack, K-9 and Spock playing what appeared to be some three-way variation of chess via a hologram that Spock was projecting. Had she been in a better mood Rose probably would have watched and asked how it was played, but as it was she cleared her throat.  
  
“Rose,” Jack greeted cheerfully as he stood from his seat on the sofa. He saw her face and instantly his expression softened. “Come here,” he said warmly opening his arms.  
  
Despite not knowing Jack very well, in the absence of the Doctor, Shareen, Sharon or Eve, Rose was going to take the hug.  She stepped into the arms of her current friend and apparent future close friend and accepted the hug.  
  
“She’s mad at me,” Rose grumbled sadly.   
  
“You and your mother have always had a… unusual relationship,” Jack supplied.  
  
“That worries me,” Rose sighed as she released Jack and stepped back. “She’s the only parent I’ve got. Dad’s long gone and I’ve got no other real family.”  
  
“I know,” Jack whispered gently. “It’ll get better. She’ll come around, I promise.”  
  
“I have a hard time believing that,’ Rose told him with a frown.  
  
“It’s a slow process,” Jack admitted. “But she already knows she can’t change your mind.” Jack rubbed his cheek. “I’m glad your first instinct isn’t to slap. That could be a nasty genetic trait, now I understand what the Doctor must have felt.”  
  
“She slapped the Doctor?” Rose asked with wide eyes.  
  
“Oncoming Storm vs. Jackie Tyler,” Jack announced with a chuckle. “Not the result you might expect.”  
  
Rose groaned, “Please tell me that they don’t hate each other.”  
  
Jack gave her a warm smile and answered, “They learn to live with each other… well as long as they don’t actually have to live with each other.” Jack grinned and laughed. “Mostly they both realise that they are stuck with each other because of you.”  
  
Rose smiled, feeling a bit better after hearing Jack say that. He returned the smile and Rose recognised that had been the purpose of the little conversation.  
  
“Thanks, Jack,” Rose said sincerely. “I mean it, really thank you.”  
  
“What else are friends for if not jumping around in your time stream and saving your Mum.” Jack rubbed his jaw again. “Mind you, I might make the Doctor do it next time.”  
  
Rose chuckled and turned her attention away from Jack to K-9 and Spock who were watching quietly. “And thank you to the both of you,” Rose told them gratefully. “You were fantastic.” Jack chuckled at her use of the word and Rose smiled in response. She walked over to K-9 and patted him on the head. “Good dog,” she said sweetly.  
  
“Affirmative,” K-9 replied, wagging his metal tail a tiny bit.  
  
“And thank you, Mr Spock,” Rose breathed. “Let me know if you detect any other problems.”  
  
“I will endeavour to do so,” Spock informed her. “Shall I inform Sarah Jane of the situation?”  
  
“If she calls yes,” Rose replied with a slight shrug. “Otherwise let her enjoy her holiday.”  
  
“As you wish Rose,” Spock answered dutifully. “It may interest you to know that UNIT-”  
  
“Let’s leave them alone for a few days,” Rose ordered quickly. “I’m probably in enough trouble as it is, so just ease up on the Big Brother act for a few days.”  
  
“Very well,” Spock said and if he sounded a bit petulant Rose decided to ignore it.   
  
She walked back over Jack and they calmly left the attic together. Jack’s long strides and taking the stairs two by two got him to the ground floor first. He rolled up his sleeve enough to access his vortex manipulator and Rose was silent as she watched him program it. Once he was satisfied he looked over at her and smiled.  
  
“It’ll get better Rosie,” he promised her. “Jackie loves you.”  
  
“I know,” Rose agreed softly with a nod. “I guess I’ll just have to accept that we don’t have much in common.”  
  
Jack nodded and held out a hand to Rose. She debated for a moment before she gave him her hand and let him pull her close for a quick kiss on the lips. Shaking her head, Rose stepped back as Jack gave her a wide grin and pressed a button on the vortex manipulator. She watched as Jack vanished in a whirl of blue light.   
  
Once he was gone Rose locked up Sarah Jane’s house and walked across the street to her own house. There she found a bucket of soapy water waiting in the dining room along with almost every cleaning product in the house and a note that said: you can clean up after your aliens. Sighing, Rose shrugged out of her hoodie and started trying to work out how to best clean up the calcium green goo.  
  
…………………………………  
  
Shareen and Sharon didn’t object when Rose delayed their trip to Spain for three days after the dates for a UNIT memorial were announced. She hadn’t expected them too, but she was grateful for her friends’ simple acceptance and their offer to accompany her. In the end, Rose had declined the company and met up with Malcolm and Kate who had returned to a sad debriefing of what they had missed. If Toshiko was relieved that she hadn’t been permitted to attend she said nothing on the subject to Rose.   
  
It was raining which felt right in a sad way to Rose. The service was in a stone gazebo in one of the military cemeteries that Rose had never had a reason to visit before. Standing with the rest of the science division in black they made a sombre compliment to the sea of uniforms. As Rose expected Frost had already been promoted to fill a gap left by the attempt and she spoke briefly after Brigadier Benton. Bodies were already being flown to their home countries for burial, but the ceremony honoured their sacrifice for their home planet.  
  
Rose felt a stab of pain that the entire event had been dismissed as a hoax so easily. History wouldn’t remember why they died. As she looked over at the Brigadier and the retired General Lethbridge-Stewart who was attending she realised that they’d probably felt that sorrow plenty of times before. Aliens and UFOs and still people managed to dismiss it, not knowing what the cost had been to keep them safe. As Amina’s name was called Rose tensed up until Tosh reached over and squeezed her hand.  
  
Military formality fell away once the speeches were finished with many of the attendees coming to Rose and Frost with congratulations and condolences. Their faces blurred together until Benton walked over and gestured for Rose to join him. He led her across the room to an empty space to talk.  
  
“I sorry if I made thing difficult,” she apologised honestly to him. “I wasn’t trying to get you or anyone else into trouble by firing the missile myself.”  
  
She heard General Lethbridge-Stewart snort as he moved past them to speak with Kate. Rose spared a glance over towards him as he and his daughter spoke formally. Apparently, their real relationship was still officially a secret.  
  
“He’s grateful that Kate wasn’t there,” Benton told her as he looked over at them. He returned his gaze to Rose a moment later. “I sorted it out, apparently your security status upgrade didn’t go through properly and was delayed.”  
  
“Oh,” Rose breathed with a grateful smile. “I see, that’s good to know.”  
  
Benton sighed softly and then shook his head. “Just be careful Rose,” he gave her a sad smile. “Not everyone embraces your way of doing things.”  
  
“I just did what UNIT was going to do,” Rose defended.  
  
“Yes, but you made the choice not UNIT,” Benton reminded her patiently. “To some that make a difference.” Benton paused and considered his words for a moment. “The Doctor can leave Rose, that’s the thing you’ve got to remember. When the trouble is passed he leaves, you don’t.”  
  
“True,” Rose agreed tentatively.  
  
“Some respect you more for that,” Benton assured her. “Others resent what they see as a kid stealing their glory.”  
  
“What you think?” Rose asked.  
  
Benton studied Rose for a moment. “Why did you launch the missile yourself instead of just call me and tell me to?”  
  
“I wanted it to be my choice,” Rose admitted. “I didn’t want anyone having to carry that responsibly when I was capable of doing it myself.” Rose swallowed and added, “I’ve killed Benton, I’m not proud of it and while I’m at peace with those decisions it isn’t something I’ll ever ask someone else to do in my place.” She shrugged, unsure if she was communicating her feelings properly. Personal morality versus greater duty was hard to explain. “You don’t do that to someone else.”  
  
Benton’s lips moved into a sad smile. “That’s why I respect you,” he told her gently. “But even I resent you a little bit.”  
  
“Why?” Rose asked, honestly confused.  
  
“Because with the Doctor you can tell yourself that he’s an alien, that he is different so it makes sense that you can’t possibly live up to that.” Benton smiled at her and said, “But you’re a human being. You were born and raised in London and yet you do these things. That fact strips away excuses for the rest of us not to be like that. Even I resent that sometimes.”  
  
Rose wasn’t sure how to respond to that honest statement and remained silent. Benton pulled out a card and handed it to her. Taking it from him, Rose studied it. The card was similar to a business card, but this one had her name, title, ID number and the highest security ranking listed. She smiled despite her discomfort at Benton.  
  
“Thank you,” she told him with a real smile. “I’ll try not to get you into any trouble.”  
  
“I’d appreciate that,” Benton chuckled. “But given I risked court martial for the Doctor once I think it is safe to say that I’m willing to take on a little trouble for the two of you.”  
  
“I rank in that category?” Rose questioned softly.  
  
“Yes,” Benton answered. “In my book you do.”  
  
Rose gave him an honest smile and nodded as she slipped the card into the pocket of the black blazer she was wearing.   
  
“I respect you a great deal too,” Rose told him. “And I’m grateful that Earth has you as one of its defenders.”  
  
“Thank you,” Benton replied with a small smile of his own. “Are you travelling for spring break?” He asked changing the subject abruptly.  
  
“Yes,” Rose answered with a curious look. “I’m going to Spain to see Easter with my friends. Why?”  
  
“I’ll alert the Spain UNIT division that you’re coming,” Benton remarked seriously.  
  
Rose opened her mouth to protest but then shut it. “Yeah,” she conceded. “That might be a good idea.”  
  
“I’d say stay out of trouble, but you’d just say-”  
  
“I make no promises,” Rose finished with a sad little smile as her eyes swept over the pictures on the easels at the front of the room. “Except one,” she said suddenly to Benton. “I promise that I’ll always do my best to make whatever happens worth it.”  
  
Benton followed her gaze and his expression soften. He looked back at her and nodded. “No one could ask for more Rose.”  
  
  
…………………………..  
  
Next Time: Secret of the Alhambra  
  
Astra looked at Shareen with a raised eyebrow. “What makes you so certain that something is going to happen?” She asked calmly.  
  
“Because you’re here,” Shareen said with a raised eyebrow of her own. “Something always happens when you are around.”  
  
“Exactly,” Sharon said in agreement. “So are you going to tell us what it is?”  
  
“If something was going to happen I wouldn’t know,” Astra said with a slight huff. “It hasn’t happened to me yet and since my Mum knows what it is like to live through events already knowing how they turn out she avoids doing that to me.” Astra glanced towards Rose in the distance. “Besides my Mum could have sent me here for a nice holiday.”  
  
“Ten quid says no,” Sharon offered.  
  
Astra glanced around and sighed before shaking her head. “No,” she said in a defeated tone. “No bet, you’re probably right. Something is going to explode or something soon.”  
  
“Ten quid says it starts within the next three hours,” Sharon offered with a smile.  
  
“That bet I’ll take,” Astra agreed with a grin.


	31. Secret of the Alhambra: Enter Espana

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Thirty-One: Secret of the Alhambra: Enter Espana   
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
………………….  
  
Barcelona, Spain in April was extremely pleasant to Rose Tyler and her English friends. They had arrived in the Mediterranean climate from the still slightly chilly grasp of early spring in England. Rose had arrived two days ago in Barcelona with Sharon and Shareen and met up with Astra who had been waiting for them there for several days due to Rose delaying the trip for the UNIT service. Rather than asking for details, Astra had promptly thrown herself into the role of tour guide as she’d spent her time seeing some of the sights.   
  
Rose spent the first day in Spain tense and as happy as she was to see Astra, who was on break from her university in America, she kept glancing up at the sky as if expecting something. To start off the vacation Astra suggested a day of shopping on Las Ramblas and they ended up waiting in line for over an hour to get inside the Sagrada Família, a very unconventional church designed by the local hero Antoni Gaudí. His work could be found all throughout the city and was different from even the modernist structures that Rose had grown up seeing in London. She recalled the Doctor had mentioned a planet named Barcelona once and wondered if it was anything like the city.   
  
By the second day, the tension started to ease a little and Rose didn’t shift into a defensive position as every little noise. Instead, she let herself enjoy Park Güell and have photos taken at the Dragon Fountain with her friends. On day three Rose was even willing to leave the city on a day trip without too much stress showing and the girls visited Monestir de Montserrat. The largely rebuilt monastery that didn’t take much time to see, but they spent the afternoon hiking the trails that snaked around the mountains. With Rose finally properly relaxed her friends were able to let out a sigh of relief.  
  
“So how are things with the boyfriend?” Astra asked with a small smile.  
  
“He’s my significant other,” Rose corrected. “Boyfriend’s too juvenile for someone his age.” But then she smiled despite herself, “He was good last time I saw him. Donna keeps him on his toes which is always fun to hear about, but she has a habit of vanishing before he comes to see me.”  
  
“Would you want to tag along on someone’s date?” Shareen pointed out with a laugh.  
  
“I suppose not,” Rose agreed before looking over at Astra. “I’m just sorry you’ve never properly met him.”  
  
“Oh don’t worry,” Astra assured Rose quickly with a rather forced smile. “Last time in Bolivia was a bit mad to be stopping to introduce me to your significant other.”  
  
“Anyway,” Sharon said trying to turn the focus away for Astra’s dramatic world saving suicide that Rose didn’t know about. “How have you been Astra, we almost never see you?”  
  
“Oh I’m good,” Astra answered with a glance towards Rose. “Staying busy with school.”  
  
“I still don’t understand why you choose to go to CalTech,” Rose pouted slightly. “I bet you could’ve gotten into Cambridge with me.”  
  
“Cambridge isn’t bad,” Astra agreed with a shrug. “But CalTech has awesome programs and then it’s in California. Land where the sun shines and I can go surfing on the weekends. Plus the take-home examinations that all the teachers do are great.”  
  
“But your mother is English right?” Rose questioned. “Did you ever consider an English school?”  
  
“Nope,” Astra answered popping her p. “Honestly when I picked a school it was more about where I’d have fun. Mummy told me that being happy where I was going to be was more important.”  
  
Shareen and Sharon glanced at each other and smiled slightly at the odd conversation between Rose and her future daughter. Slowing down a bit, Sharon allowed herself to fall behind Rose and Astra and Shareen matched her pace.  
  
“I can’t believe that Rose hasn’t figured it out,” Sharon observed softly.  
  
“In her defence, there really isn’t a reason to assume your odd friend that you only see during school breaks is, in fact, your future daughter who for some reason is choosing to live in the same time period as you,” Shareen pointed out with a shrug.  
  
“I wonder why she is attending school now,” Sharon questioned. “Why not in another twenty years or something? Heck, why Earth and not… I don’t know the Mars Academy of something?”  
  
“Maybe she just likes it,” Shareen suggested. “I’m glad she’s started living alongside Rose properly in time. It makes keeping things straight a lot easier for me now. I hate all that time travel stuff.”  
  
“True,” Sharon responded. “I just wonder what the Doctor thought about his Time Lady daughter studying on Earth.”  
  
“Probably thought it was funny,” Shareen chuckled. “Course I don’t think Astra has her own TARDIS yet or whatever else she might use to travel through time so she may have gone to university for the same reason as anyone else.”  
  
“To get away from the parents?”  
  
“Exactly,” Shareen said with a nod. “Mind you she didn’t get away from them completely,” she added gestured towards Rose and Astra ahead of them.  
  
The next day was their final day in Barcelona before they were moving on to Madrid and the girls had been dashing around to see every last thing they wanted to see. Finally, Sharon all but collapsed into a patio chair by a gelato shop. Sharon and Shareen joined her with grateful smiles while Astra just cheerfully beamed at them.  
  
“Come on,” Astra called loudly. “Last day in Barcelona!”  
  
“My feet are killing me,” Shareen muttered with a pout. “How long is the train trip tomorrow?”  
  
“About three hours,” Astra responded automatically with a cheerful tone. “Should be fun.”  
  
“You didn’t travel on trains much as a kid did you?” Shareen asked with a knowing smirk.  
  
Astra gave her a warning look but shook her head to answer the question.  
  
“Well you can rest and I’ll get us some gelato,” Rose announced with a smile. “How about two big chocolates to split?”  
  
“Sounds heavenly,” Sharon agreed with a happy sigh. “Need a hand?”  
  
“No, I got it,” Rose said as she stood up and walked over to the counter across the patio.  
  
Once she was gone Shareen turned to Astra. “So when is it going to happen? We’ve already been in Spain for four days and there hasn’t been an invasion or a crash.”  
  
Astra looked at Shareen with a raised eyebrow. “What makes you so certain that something is going to happen?” She asked calmly.  
  
“Because you’re here,” Shareen pointed out with a raised eyebrow of her own. “Something always happens when you are around.”  
  
“Exactly,” Sharon chuckled in agreement. “So are you going to tell us what it is?”  
  
“If something was going to happen I wouldn’t know,” Astra replied with a slight huff. “It hasn’t happened to me yet and since my Mum knows what it is like to live through events already knowing how they turn out she avoids doing that to me.” Astra glanced towards Rose in the distance. “Besides my Mum could have sent me here for a nice holiday. I am in university myself now.”  
  
“Ten quid says no,” Sharon offered.  
  
Astra glanced around and sighed before shaking her head. “No,” she agreed in a defeated tone. “No bet, you’re probably right. Something is going to explode or something soon. Rose is relaxed now and finally recovering from having to fire that missile so of course, the universe will drop something on her.”  
  
“Ten quid says it starts within the next three hours,” Sharon offered with a smile.  
  
“That bet I’ll take,” Astra agreed with a smile. She glanced back over at her mother and shook her head with a sigh. “Poor Mummy.”  
  
Rose returned a few minutes later with two cups of gelato and four spoons.  
  
“I love this stuff,” Astra cheered as she dug in. “Can’t find it easily in the states.”  
  
“I bet not,” Rose laughed with a wide grin. “At least we have Soho. I got addicted to this stuff when we visited Italy.” Rose took another bite. “It’s cool that they have it in Spain too.”  
  
Rose looked up at the buildings as they quietly ate their gelato. They were across the street from one of the more distinct buildings on the street with smoothly curving balconies and an almost coral look that reminded her a bit of the TARDIS. So she said so.  
  
“Really?” Shareen questioned as she looked at the building and tilted her head. She looked back at Rose, “Do you hate the TARDIS or something?”  
  
Rose glared at her friend. “Of course not it’s just the texture… oh never mind.” Rose blushed slightly and took some more gelato, sulking slightly while Shareen giggled.  
  
“So here’s a question I’ve been meaning to ask,” Sharon said, “how often when you go on dates do you get where he meant to? The companions are always talking about how hit or miss the TARDIS can be.”  
  
“Actually so far we’ve always ended up when and where he meant us to,” Rose remarked thoughtfully. “He is always a bit surprised by it.”  
  
“So what he’s a better driver around you?”  
  
“Well…” Rose hesitated. “I think the TARDIS wants me to like her. And she’s the one who really controls where he goes.”  
  
“What?” Shareen asked with a laugh.  
  
“The TARDIS is sentient,” Rose explained quickly. “And I don’t know I just have this sense that she wants me to like her.” Rose shrugged. “Maybe she knows that we’re the two most important women in the Doctor’s life and figured we should get along. Maybe she doesn’t want to risk me changing my mind about coming with him.”  
  
“So the TARDIS is trying to impress you?” Sharon asked slowly.  
  
“I don’t know that for sure,” Rose answered with a slight blush. “But that’s just the sense I get when I’m inside the console room. She hums really nicely and always translates for me when I ask and doesn’t hijack my dates with the Doctor…”  
  
Astra smiled into a spoonful of gelato. Of course, the TARDIS liked Rose and didn’t want to risk her changing her mind, but Astra knew better than to say anything. Rose quickly changed the subject to what else they wanted to see in Barcelona and discussion of their train departure time the next day. Despite Astra, Sharon and Shareen discussing the lack of aliens, Astra excluded of course, and the bet absolutely nothing unusual happened. Well, nothing unusual for Barcelona that is.  
  
Then the bet was changed that something would happen in Madrid, the capital city of Spain and home to the Royal Palace. Yet nothing happened. The girls visited the Plaza Mayor and despite the tension between her and Jackie Rose sent her a mother a postcard and picked up a gift for her. Other than Astra flinching slightly at the translation of the Puerta del Sol (Gateway of the Sun) nothing happened in the old city centre. The Palacio Real was as quiet as a tourist site could be and the Museo del Prado was so quiet that Astra nearly fell asleep in one of the painting galleries. Their hostel was alien free, once again excluding Astra, as far as they knew. Although Astra was certain that the red haired girl with freckles was a tourist from the Gertic Cluster. Even the day trip to Toledo didn’t bring any extra excitement and Rose was loving it.  
  
In Córdoba Astra, Shareen and Sharon finally gave up the bet and decided just to enjoy the start of the Spanish Easter celebrations. Rose had purchased a book on the Moorish kingdom al-Andalus that had dominated the area and read out brief experts during the train ride south from Madrid.   
  
They all agreed that the Cathedral was their favourite part of the city which was a medieval Islamic mosque that had split between Islamic and Christian worship off and on again for centuries. Astra refused to call it the cathedral and instead referred to it as the Mezquita which she enjoyed saying far more. The first night in the area they watched their first Easter procession from the window of their hostel right along the route. One of the employees at the hostel was quietly explaining the traditional robes worn by all in the parade and the tradition of children making wax balls with the drippings of the candles carried by the priests.  
  
The Tuesday before Easter they arrived in Granada by train and settled into their hostel. Their tickets for the Alhambra were scheduled for 9:30 the next morning and they all agreed that with the crowds the 9th century and 14th-century palace attracted they would be better off arriving early. That night they climbed up one of the hills surrounding the low-lying city and looked across at the Alhambra in the setting sun. Rose was struck by the harmony that seems to exist in the stone fortress and palace despite the centuries that divided its periods of construction. As the sun sank light turned on in the Alhambra, illuminating its tall stone walls in a pale golden glow.  
  
“That’s really something,” Sharon said in a soft voice from her seat on a low stone wall beside Rose.  
  
“Yeah, it is,” Rose replied in an equally quiet voice.  
  
“I hate to say it,” Shareen offered, “But with our early time tomorrow we should really get back to the hostel. There only so many tickets and I’d rather use our online purchased ones than wait in the lines at 6 tomorrow morning.”  
  
“Is that what time you have to get up?” Sharon asked with a doubtful look.  
  
“Some of the others at the hostel are going up then to get tickets,” Shareen told her with a nod.  
  
“Let’s not do that,” Rose said as she climbed off the wall and pulled out a small torch from her pocket. “Come on then.”  
  
The next morning the girls climbed up al-Sabika hill on a long twisting road surrounded by trees that felt completely cut off from the city. Other groups of people were working their way up too or resting on the benches by the path. One group of five people were standing just off the round, each of them holding a mobile and staring at them with intense concentration. Each of them looked like locals with dark hair and dark eyes, two females and three males, but their body language seemed tense.  
  
Suddenly one of them looked up and around as her phone beeped. Her eyes settled on Rose who held the gaze for a moment until a flash of slight pain in her head caused her to blink. Automatically Rose rubbed her head and was about to look back at the woman when Astra grabbed her hand and pulled slightly. Rose obeyed the unspoken request and followed her friends. The headache fortunately passed by the time they reached the entrance.   
  
Grinning, Rose handed over her ticket and nodded her understanding as to when they would be allowed into the various palaces on the site and dutifully accepted the audio tours and maps. Rose hung back and allowed Shareen to set the pace as they walked out into the large garden and headed through the gardens towards the Nasrid Palaces, their first stop of the day.  
  
When people saw images of the Alhambra what they are probably really seeing are pictures of the Nasrid Palaces. Despite having just seen the Mezquita Rose was stunned by the graceful Islamic columns and the elaborate engraving that decorated the interior stone of the palace. Their guide explained the history of the palace from its earliest days when the kings first moved their residences to the Alhambra fortress to gain a more defensible position in the low laying area to their defeat at the hands of the Spanish monarchs King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile which ended Islamic rule in the Iberian Peninsula. Each room they went through had been carefully reconstructed and the detail work amazed Rose. Her fingers were itching to do at least a drawing if not a painting in the Arabic-Islamic style, maybe of the TARDIS. She smiled at the through and followed the guide into the Court of the Lions.  
  
The Court of the Lions was an open square area surrounded by elaborate corridors open to it which reminded her of many of the Italian courtyards that she’d seen in Italy. The fountain in the middle of the square was the source of the courtyards name. A large basin with a fountain spout rested on the backs of twelve stylised carved lions.  
  
The day passed in a blur of walking through the gardens and more elegant palaces, but none as elaborate for the Nasric Palaces. They had lunch in a small café by the Generalife before returning to the Alcazba to tour the ruins of the original fortress. When they were all finally exhausted with a camera filled with photos they headed back down the hill in search of dinner and a place to get off of their feet.  
  
Rose blinked in surprise when she noted the group of five people she had seen earlier on their way down the hill and frowned slightly. The headache returned and Rose rubbed her eyes before turning to look at them again. Stopping suddenly, Rose gasped as the tall Spanish woman she had seen earlier image flickered to a humanoid form with light purple skin and a pair large purple round eyes fixed on Rose.  
  
“Rose what is it?” Shareen asked in confusion.  
  
The alien’s eyes widened in surprise and it took a step back, gesturing towards her. The hand had only three fingers and a very long thumb. The violet skin shimmered slightly in the sunlight and Rose noted that the skin seemed to have a layer of moisture on it. She took a breath and blinked again as the alien’s appearance seemed to flicker between its human form and its true appearance. Glancing over at her friends Rose noticed that they were looking at her with concern rather than looking at the alien. Rose looked back at the alien sharply and experienced another pang in her head as she focused on the other four. Their appearances flickered and revealed that they looked very similar to the first alien.   
  
The first alien seemed to be speaking with them and consulting the mobile in her hand. Rose’s vision cleared slightly and the headache eased a bit as she noted that none of them had any hair and instead were completely bald with no eyebrows or eyelashes. Then the alien woman took a tentative step towards Rose, studying her carefully and raising the device that looked like a mobile phone in front of her.   
  
“Rose?” Shareen questioned. “What’s going on?”  
  
“Alien,” Rose told them softly so the people walking past them didn’t hear. “But I think it is okay.” Slipping her hand up to her ear, Rose double checked that her translator was secure and waited for the alien to speak.  
  
“Fire heart stone,” the alien finally said. “That is what the sensors picked up this morning.”   
  
Rose looked down at the ring the Doctor had given her and then back at the alien. “Yes,” she answered. “From the planet Plesadius. But I understand that it is very rare and distinct energy signature. Why are you scanning for it?”  
  
The alien seemed both surprised and pleased that Rose understood what she was talking about. “We are scanning for anything not of this world,” she replied carefully. “But you are human.” The alien looked thoughtful. “Do you see me as human?”  
  
“Sort of,” Rose answered. “Your appearance… keeps flickering in and out.” Rose rubbed her head. “It is giving me a headache.”  
  
“Interesting,” the alien murmured. “We are using telepathic equipment to provide our image appearance.”  
  
“Then my Durmino translator may be interfering with it,” Rose offered as she adverted her eyes to relieve the pressure in her mind.  
  
“Durmion?” the alien repeated before looking excited. “Then are you the Star Knight from Earth.?”  
  
“You know the Durmions?” Rose questioned in surprise.  
  
“By reputation mostly,” the alien answered quickly. “But I am an archaeologist and heard that one of their relics had become active once again.” The alien took a step closer to Rose, but when Rose flinched at the pain in her head stepped back again. “If you will follow us then we can go someplace to talk and stop using telepathic equipment.”  
  
“Why are you on Earth?” Rose asked first.  
  
“One of our ships crashed here 2,000 years ago,” the alien explained quickly. “Its energy containment cell is failing and leaking dangerous chemicals. We are trying to find it and stop it before it hurts your planet.”  
  
“You’re a cleanup crew?” Rose questioned with wide eyes.  
  
“It is a bit more complex,” the alien answered. “Please, will you come?”  
  
Rose looked over at her friends who were watching with confused and resigned expressions. “I’m sorry,” Rose apologised softly. “But this sounds important.”  
  
“Don’t worry about it,” Shareen reassured her with a smile. “I’m just sorry we stopped betting on when the aliens would show up this time.”  
  
Rose gave them all a smile and turned back to the alien. “These are my friends and they’ll come with us. Do you speak English?”  
  
“Some,” the alien replied tentatively. “Mostly Spanish now, but I think I can manage.” Judging from their expressions her friends had understood that statement as English.  
  
“Then lead on to someplace we can talk,” Rose agreed as she adverted her eyes again and rubbed her forehead, trying to ease the headache.


	32. Secret of the Alhambra: The Alaydens

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Thirty-Two: Secret of the Alhambra: The Alaydens  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
………………………  
  
The aliens led the four young women to a small house at the foot of the hill. It was a pleasant local home with windowsill flowers, shutters and some ivy climbing up one side. Judging from a small sign near the door it was a tourist rental property and Rose noted the name with a small sigh: Lobo Feroz rentals or Bad Wolf rentals. She heard Astra chuckle next to her.  
  
“Technically that is the phrase used for the big bad wolf,” Astra observed softly. “Not just the words bad wolf.”  
  
“Doesn’t make me feel better,” Rose murmured softly.   
  
They entered the house which was fully furnished and remarkably tidy with nothing personal in sight. The leader of the aliens gestured towards the sofas and reached for a necklace around her neck. Rose sat down and her friends followed suit. Her headache eased as the alien’s image stopped flickering. Sharon and Shareen gasped softly and Astra smiled slightly at the alien woman.  The other aliens followed suit and resumed their natural shapes before seating themselves around the room.  
  
“I suppose introductions are in order,” the female alien said with a touch of nervousness. “I am Professor Andalin El-kartin and the leader of this expedition.” She turned and gestured towards a tall male who was watching them all very carefully. “This is … I suppose Major would be the closest rank equivalent Terfirn Yarn-iyti.” Andalin pointed to the other two males, “These men are Terfirn’s soldiers Regir Ver-kin and Handen Sal-ter.” The final alien, a female, stepped forward to stand nervously next to Andalin. “And this is my assistant and student Varlin Mer-tanik.”  
  
“Pleasure,” Rose greeted with a nod. “I am Rose Tyler, the Star Knight of Earth.” Rose pointed to each of her friends in turn. “This is Shareen Bell, Sharon Allen and Astra Wolfe.” Her friends all nodded in greeting to the aliens. “Now please explain what brings you to Earth.”  
  
“We are from the Alayden Collective which is roughly 2,000 light years from here,” Andalin explained. “I supposed the first thing you need to know is that my world operates under the rules of the Shadow Proclamation and the only reason I am speaking with you is that you are clearly an exception to Earth’s usual level five status.”  
  
“So you don’t interfere with less developed planets,” Rose acknowledged with a nod. “Yet here you are.”  
  
“Indeed,” Andalin agreed slowly. “Just over two thousand years ago my people were at the head of a space travelling empire and had highly advanced technology, but a civil war broke out that was followed by a plague. Much of our history, technology and even large aspects of our culture was lost to us. The Alayden Imperium of old had more than twenty planets, but after the plague, only the homeworld and our two colonies within our own star system remained.”  
  
Andalin nodded towards Varlin with a small smile. “We have since relearned much of our old technology and have started to explore the universe once again. I am a Professor of … archaeology I believe you would call it and Varlin has worked with me for three years now. We have spent the last two years studying ruins on our former colonial worlds in order to learn what our ancestors knew.”  
  
“What does that have to do with Earth?” Shareen asked with a touch of impatience. “I mean that’s great and all, but why are you here?”  
  
“Six months ago a survey ship swept past Earth making star charts,” Varlin said speaking up for the first time. “It detected the energy signature of one of our ancestors’ ships in Europe.”  
  
“The information as brought to me,” Andalin explained. “Few of our people know ancient technology like me, but only twice before has such a strong signal been found. I at once came to Earth with an escort,” she added nodding towards her military companions. “We isolated the energy reading and were able to trace it to the city. I believe the ship is hidden under the Alhambra.”  
  
“You said hidden,” Rose observed quickly. “You mean it wasn’t a crash.”  
  
“I don’t think so,” Andalin admitted nervously. “I think the ship was piloted by those trying to escape the war and the plague. During that period the old Imperial government launched several ships that were meant to serve as ‘arcs’ for our people and allow them to colonise other worlds.”  
  
“But why Earth?” Rose asked with a frown. “People were already here.”  
  
“I’m not sure they had a choice,” Andalin told her quickly. “I won’t know unless I can access the computer and translate the text.”  
  
“Translate?” Rose questioned.  
  
“Our ancient language was largely lost,” Andalin informed them sadly. “I’ve been trying to reconstruct it for ten years. But back to the question of a crash, my study of this area’s history there is nothing to suggest a ship crashed here two thousand years ago. Romans already occupied the area and would have left some kind of records.”  
  
“So you want to find the ship to retrieve ancient technology,” Shareen clarified.  
  
“Yes, but it is more complex than that,” Andalin insisted. “If that was all we wanted the Shadow Proclamation would never have allowed us to come to Earth.” Andalin looked nervous once again. “The actual reason we must find the ship is that the energy being released is that of an ancient fuel cell. We have found many of these and once their protective shell decays they become dangerous.”  
  
“How dangerous?” Rose questioned sharply.  
  
“The levels will not harm your kind yet,” Andalin assured them with a slight smile. “But the levels are rising and if it is like the other energy cells that have been recovered it will finish corroding the containment shell in three months. We have been trying to locate it for the last three months.”  
  
Major Terfirn Yarn-iyti snorted slightly behind Andalin and she sighed. Rose looked over at the Major who shrugged and added, “What she means is that we have been trying to find an access portal for three months. We can tell that the ship is in the hill, but we cannot get to it without harming the structure.”  
  
“Which I want to avoid,” Andalin insisted with a stern look. “This is a problem we brought to Earth and we shouldn’t destroy their great sites.”  
  
“Better to destroy this than risk the chemicals of the energy cell getting into Earth’s ocean,” Terfirn argued. “Need I remind you what those chemicals did to Trideya.”  
  
“No,” Andalin said softly. “You don’t.”  
  
“Okay,” Rose called holding up a hand. “Let me make sure I’ve got this. 2,000 years ago a ship from your planet fleeing a civil war and plague landed on Earth and was somehow hidden under al-Sabika hill. The ship’s energy cells are breaking down from age and about to release tonic and alien chemicals into the environment in the next three months if it is not found and removed from Earth.”  
  
“Correct,” Andalin sighed. “We have the means to contain the chemicals and remove them from your planet.”   
  
“Do I want to know what happened on Trideya?” Rose asked as she glanced between the two aliens.  
  
“Mass extinction of the native animals,” Terfirn replied tightly. “The old starship systems were powerful, but the energy cells were highly toxic and highly radiated. Your people have never detected the ship because none of your equipment is built for picking up such things.”  
  
“Alright,” Rose said before turning her attention back to Andalin. “Why do you believe there is an access portal to the ship?”  
   
Varlin jumped up and walked into another room. She returned a moment later with a large stack of notes and photographs. Spreading them out on the small coffee table in front of Rose, she laid out the maps of the hill, a map of the Alhambra complex and several photographs.  
  
“These markings,” Varlin told Rose as she pointed to a small series of elegant designs that were part of the decorations of the complex. “These are ancient Alayden letters. We don’t understand their meaning, but we have found them at all the ruined sites.”  
  
Rose blinked at the image and studied the letters, but nothing looked any different even with her translator. “Are you sure they are letters?” Rose questioned.  
  
“Isn’t your translator working?” Astra asked as she moved over by Rose.  
  
“No,” Rose replied with a shake of her head. “I see only the designs.”  
  
“A durmino translator would not know this language,” Andalin pointed out calmly.   
  
“Mine has been programmed with a few additional languages,” Rose explained casually. She reached for a notebook on the table and a pencil and began drawing the small free standing designs in question without the other decorations. Picking up the other photos, Rose listened with one ear as Astra spoke with Andalin about their findings.  
  
“The question I have is that the Alhambra wasn’t build two-thousand years ago,” Astra remarked which caught Rose’s attention. “So how long do your kind live?”  
  
“Only slightly longer than humans,” Varlin answered. “But the reason we think these codes were left for us is that we have found DNA traces of our own kind in this regions humans.”  
  
Rose looked up at Varlin. “DNA traces? Your people breed with the humans?”  
  
“Under some kind of disguise no doubt,” Andalin confirmed. “But yes it appears that roughly 25% of the locals have a few genes from our planet within their DNA. I’m surprised that we were genetically compatible, but there is no other explanation for the findings.”  
  
“So maybe a few families protected the secret about the ship,” Shareen suggested with a grin. “And hid clues in the Alhambra. Just in case they ever needed to flee Earth or wanted to try and use it.”  
  
“The problem is that the Alhambra has been damaged,” Andalin reminded them. “Much of the reconstruction is based off of drawings over the years so I cannot be certain of anything that I find in the structure.”  
  
Rose leaned back against the sofa and studied the seemingly random little symbols on the page in front of her. The TARDIS translation circuits didn’t recognise the symbols as letters despite Andalin’s belief that they were. Maybe the reconstruction was too flawed or letters were missing. Maybe they weren’t letters at all, but some kind of code. The TARDIS wouldn’t be able to translate that.   
  
“I’ll call the Doctor,” Rose announced as she reached for her phone. What she didn’t see as she pulled the mobile out was the look of panic on Astra’s face. Shareen snatched the phone from her hand and smiled sweetly at Rose.  
  
“Give us a moment,” Shareen said to Andalin. “We need to have a word with Rose.”  
  
Rose blinked at the sudden shift in the room’s mood but nodded. Standing up, she followed Shareen towards the front door. Sharon and Astra quickly followed her into the small entry wall.  
  
“What is it?” Rose asked her friends. “Why don’t you want me to call the Doctor? The TARDIS could probably get us to the ship in just a few minutes.”  
  
“Well one you’d expose your boyfriend to the A- uh Alaydens which might not be a good thing,” Sharon pointed out.  
  
“Plus this is a girl’s holiday,” Shareen added eagerly. “Let’s try to take care of this ourselves. We’ve got a few days to explore the secret of the Alhambra, help the aliens and boost Earth’s reputation. That’s part of what you want isn’t it.”  
  
“Are you sure?” Rose asked with a confused look. “I don’t want to ruin the trip. You three can go on and explore Granda and I’ll take care of this”  
  
“Rose honey,” Shareen all but cooed. “If this kind of thing really bothered us we wouldn’t be your girlfriends.”  
  
Rose looked over at Astra who nodded in agreement. She smiled warmly at her friends. “I don’t know why you put up with me, but thanks.”  
  
“You’re never dull,” Sharon chuckled. “Don’t worry so much Rose.”  
  
“It’ll be a different way to explore Spain,” Astra added with a grin. “Solving an old alien puzzle at one of Earth’s great architectural achievements sounds fantastic!”  
  
“Alright,” Rose said slowly. “I guess I’ll tell Andalin that we’re in.” She gave her friends one more look before she turned and walked back into the main room.  
  
Astra sighed in relief and turned to Shareen and Sharon. “Thanks,” she breathed.  
  
“What was with that panicked expression for earlier?” Sharon asked.  
  
“Well if Rose called the Doctor the call would probably go to him in the time period he’s dating her.”  
  
“Before you’re born,” Shareen realised. “Ah, I can see why that might be a problem.”  
  
“Yes,” Astra confirmed. “And while I can hide from him when his timeline doesn’t line up with mine prolonged contact would make it all but impossible for me to stay hidden.”  
  
Shareen nodded with understanding and Sharon smiled. “That could have been really entertaining though.” When Astra and Shareen gave her a look she just laughed and shrugged, “Come on it would have been. He already knows that Rose will be coming back and I’m pretty sure that they get married, but confronting the Doctor with a kid would be funny.”  
  
“Especially since Rose said it wasn’t possible for her to get pregnant by the Doctor when I asked her about protection,” Sharon said with a look at Astra. “I assume you were engineered.”  
  
“Not exactly,” Astra replied uncomfortably. “Look please don’t ask me about that. I don’t want to lie. And I don’t want to think about it.”  
  
“Uh okay,” Shareen said with a shrug before looking at Sharon. “You seriously asked Rose about that.”  
  
“I’m a medical student,” Sharon defended. “I’m allowed to be concerned about possible consequences from one of my best friends sleeping with an alien.”  
  
“And let’s please change the subject,” Astra begged quickly as she shuddered.  
  
“Right,” Shareen laughed. “Let’s go help Rose protect our home planet.” Then she paused and looked at Astra, “Earth is your home planet right?”  
  
“Officially,” Astra answered with a shrug. “I was supposed to be born here, but I was actually born on an asteroid called Demon’s Run.” Astra nodded towards the doorway. “Come on, let’s go help Rose.”


	33. Secret of the Alhambra: Pieces of a Puzzle

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Thirty-Three: Secret of the Alhambra: Pieces of a Puzzle  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
……………………….  
  
Andalin and Varlin went over all of their findings with Rose. Apparently, the symbols they had found in the Alhambra were a variation to those found in one of the ruined cities. Not exactly the same, but similar enough to attract their attention.   
  
“It seems like the symbols may have become part of the culture of the area,” Varlin explained as she showed Rose images from other area mosques. “This area developed a slightly different Islamic art style and a different culture.”  
  
“You think the survivors who mixed with humans are the reason for that?” Shareen asked.  
  
“Not the only reason I’m sure,” Varlin said quickly. “But it seems reasonable to believe that at least of those who settled here with the humans would teach their children at least some of the culture of their homeland.”  
  
“And Al Andalus was a much more liberal culture compared to both its Moorish and Christian neighbours,” Andalin added.  
  
“The problem is the Christian whitewash,” Rose muttered as the studied the drawings. “If there is a code hidden here then we only have a part of it due to older sections being torn down and rebuilt.” She ran a hand through her hair in frustration.  
  
“You need a break,” Shareen said suddenly. “Come on, time for food. Let’s hit one of the Tapas bars and relax for a bit.”  
  
“But-”  
  
“No,” Sharon cut off firmly with a nod to Shareen. “Come on, you’ll do this better when you aren’t sleepy.”  
  
“Perhaps that is best,” Andalin suggested to Rose. “We could use some rest ourselves. If you are still willing then we will meet here in the morning at nine o’clock.”  
  
Shareen and Sharon nodded in agreement and grabbed their things, not giving Rose a chance to argue. “Uh,” Rose finally managed. “See you tomorrow then I guess.” She was pulled out the front door into the dusk by her friends.  
  
“Now,” Astra cheered clapping her hands together. “Tapas!”  
  
Rose didn’t sleep well that night, in her dreams she kept seeing the symbols, but they still made no sense. The knowledge that she was dreaming kept waking her up and finally she gave up and climbed out the hostel bed. Using her mobile, Rose found her shoes and key and went downstairs. Astra was sitting at a table with a book open in front of her and looked up as Rose entered the room.  
  
“Hi,” Astra greeted as she glanced at Rose’s pjs and messy hair. “Couldn’t sleep?”  
  
“No,” Rose groaned, joining Astra at the table. “What about you?”  
  
“I rarely sleep the whole night,” Astra answered with a shrug.  
  
“I remember,” Rose replied with a smile, remembering all the time back at Horath Academy that she’d woken up at night to find Astra reading in her bed. “Have you ever figured that out?”  
  
“It’s not a problem,” Astra assured her. “I guess I just am naturally caffeinated.”  
  
Rose shook her head and leaned on her hand against the table. “Sounds familiar,” she remarked, thinking about the Doctor with a small smile.  
  
“Want to talk about it?” Astra asked.  
  
“I’m waiting for the problem to show up,” Rose admitted with a sigh. “The Alaydens seem nice and I think they’re telling the truth.”  
  
“So?”  
  
“So what else is going to happen?” Rose asked. “Last time I tried to help a peaceful group of aliens UNIT was attacked and a lot of people were hurt.” Rose paused and looked at Astra. “I shouldn’t talk about it.”  
  
“Not everything ends badly,” Astra told her gently. “This might just be a little blip on your radar for this trip.”  
  
“Maybe,” Rose said, not sounding convinced.  
  
“Is there something else?” Astra questioned gently with a warm smile.  
  
“My life,” Rose said sweeping her hand around. “I mean I’m on holiday and I encounter aliens, that’s just insane. Sometimes…..”  
  
“What?”  
  
“Sometimes I wonder about this is all,” Rose confessed in a low voice. “I don’t regret it now because it is exciting and I get to make a difference, but I worry that in thirty years I’ll regret all of this.”  
  
“What about the Doctor?” Astra asked softly.  
  
“I love him,” Rose said quickly. “But I don’t know, he’ll outlive me by such a margin and we can’t have kids together. I know he loves me, but… I’ll just be a tiny part of his life in the end. I’m not interested in not having him in my life, but I also worry sometimes.” Rose shook her head and sighed. “Wow, I’m depressing late at night when I’m tired.”  
  
“It’s okay,” Astra promised, reaching over to squeeze Rose’s hand. “Not one has life figured out at our age.”  
  
Rose chuckled and nodded with a tiny smile pulling at her lips. “You’re probably right.”  
  
Astra closed her book and stood up. “Come on,” she ordered. “We should both try to get some more sleep.”  
  
They returned to the room and climbed into their bunk beds and Rose fell back to sleep in about twenty minutes. Once she was sure that Rose was back to sleep, Astra pulled out a flashlight and returned to her book.   
  
………………………..  
  
The next morning they ate a quick breakfast at the hostel and grabbed coffee on their way to the Alaydens’ house. Varlin opened the door and Rose flinched since the telepathic image was on. Once they were all inside Varlin locked the door, pulled the curtains shut and turned it off. Rose sighed and rubbed her head gently before walking into the main room to join Andalin. The Alaydens soldiers glanced at them, but then seemed content to sit and play a card game in the kitchen. After watching Rose struggle for an hour, Shareen joined them to learn how to play. Apparently, the game included a lot of allusions to their planetary history, but Shareen still won the second game she played.  
  
Two hours later they had compared the symbols to Andalin’s notes trying to find any possible matches. The symbols were close, but not exactly the same. Rose was leaning towards two explanations: one the language had changed between the time of the original aliens and the construction of the Alhambra to the point that no one, not even the TARDIS could understand them or that they were part of a code.   
  
“If it’s a code there has to be a key,” Rose insisted as she looked over the scattered notes. “They’d want people to be able to find it, these symbols had to have been drawn to look like the language.”  
  
“Yeah, it’d be nasty of them to leave a puzzle no one could solve,” Shareen sighed as she flopped onto the sofa after growing bored with the card game. Major Terfirn was smirking at her from the doorway so Rose could guess who’d won the last round.   
  
“What?” Rose asked as she looked up quickly at Shareen.  
  
“I said it’d be nasty of them to leave a puzzle no one could solve,” Shareen repeated.  
  
A strange look dawned on Rose’s face and she looked down at the map and the various curving symbols that had been found. “Puzzle…” she murmured thoughtfully. Then Rose stood up and looked over at Andalin. “Do you have a ruler?”  
  
“A ruler?” Andalin asked.  
  
“A straight edge,” Rose clarified hopefully. “Oh and some scissors too.”  
  
Major Terfirn vanished back into the kitchen and returned a moment later with a basic clear plastic ruler and a pair of scissors.   
  
“Perfect,” Rose said cheerfully as she accepted the tools.  
  
“Rose?” Sharon asked as her friend grabbed a blank sheet of paper and began to draw even squares with the ruler.  
  
“Puzzle,” Rose said to herself as she switched the ruler around to draw the next set of lines. “Maybe if they are the same size….”  
  
Andalin leaned over to watch as Rose finished a grid of even squares and picked up the pictures of the various symbols. Turning the picture around with a thoughtful expression a few times, Rose then began to carefully redraw the symbols inside the square with two of the edges of the symbol up against the end of the square. When she had completed three of them, adjusting their sizes so they were all the same size Astra understood.  
  
“Puzzle pieces,” Astra laughed, clapping her hands together. “You think that’s it?”  
  
“Maybe,” Rose shrugged as started on the next symbol. “I doubt we have all of them due to the reconstruction, but maybe there is enough. My translator doesn’t recognise them as a language so there has to be something else here.” Rose finished the thirteen little drawings and carefully cut them up. She spread them out before her thoughtfully before pulling the map of the Alhambra over to her. “Puzzle,” Rose repeated to herself. “Where do the pieces fit?”  
  
Then Rose snatched up one of the slips of paper and carefully set it over the outline of the cliff edge right in front of the Alcazaba. The symbol was a bit smoother than the map outline, but it fit the shape. Rose’s pieces were a little larger, but they could see the lines underneath. Picking up another piece, Rose looked on Anadlin’s map for where it was found and traced her finger to the nearest cliff edge. The symbol roughly matched the edge and Andalin’s brightened. She moved over next to Rose and in a flurry of hands they matched up the pieces to the edge of the Alhambra.   
  
The older side of the hill was mostly outlined with the newer side built in the 16th century onwards not being mapper. In two places the cliff side was outlined, but an extra curved line came out from the symbol. When they were done, only two pieces didn’t match up so Rose pulled them away and examined them.  
  
Varlin picked up one of the pieces and set it down against one of the lines that came out of the cliff map, but it sloped back to the wall. She tried the other piece which curved further down. Then Andalin picked up the other remaining piece and lined it up with the first exterior piece. They matched up and formed a half V coming out of the cliff with part of it missing.  
  
“That could be an arrow,” Shareen suggested. “It’s in the forest area.”  
  
“We looked around there,” Andalin told them shaking her head. “We didn’t see anything out of place.”  
  
“If it was out of place then humans would have messed with it,” Sharon pointed out. “Plus that is a much smaller area to search than the whole hill.”  
  
“It’s worth a try at least,” Rose urged as she pulled out her mobile and took a picture of the rough map. “I just hope it’s accurate.”  
  
“Yes,” Andalin said with a sad hint in her voice. “I estimate that we are missing a fourth of the pieces.”   
  
“Let’s cross our fingers that it is enough,” Rose breathed with a small smile. “I’m afraid you’ll have to put your telepathic imagers back on.” Rose pulled off her translator and put in her pocket. “Let’s hope that helps my headaches.  
  
Pulling off the translator didn’t help and Rose was a bit concerned that it was her sword which was not so simple to remove. By virtue of the bracelet, it Rose took it off it returned to her. She couldn’t even take it off to shower. To avoid a massive headache, Rose led the group back up the hill on the Cuesta de Gomérez. When they reached roughly the right area that she had marked on her tourist map, Rose looked around to make sure they were clear. Then everyone climbed over the short fence and vanished up the hill into the trees.   
  
“I hope we find it,” Shareen muttered as she joined Rose at the front.  
  
“It’s around here somewhere,” Sharon pointed out.  
  
“But we don’t have all the map,” Shareen reminded her. “What if it is just a marker or something.”  
  
“Think positive,” Astra told them with a smile, earning a look from both the young women.   
  
“Well it shouldn’t look like anything special,” Rose suggested with a frown. “It’ll blend in so look at everything carefully.”  
  
They split into two groups, a mix of humans and Alaydens to give a fresh perspective to everything. Half an hour past and Rose was starting to wonder if they were missing too much of the map. She really didn’t want to see the Alhambra destroyed in order to stop the chemical leak. Shaking her head, Rose banished the thought. They still had a couple of days and if she needed to send her friends on without her she would.  
  
“We’ll find it,” Shareen promised as if reading her thoughts.  
  
“Yeah,” Rose agreed without any passion.  
  
“What about that?” Varlin called next to Rose. She pointed up ahead to a small brick structure that stuck out of the side of the hill. At first glance Rose was tempted to dismiss it, such little pockets of bricks were all over the hill from earlier construction, but it was in the right place.  
  
The group approached it and Rose looked it over. The stone was worn and very old, but still mostly intact in a straight shape. But it had a large hole on the front where several bricks had been removed.  
  
“I think we looked at this,” Varlin sighed as she shook her head. “Never mind.”  
  
Rose leaned and looked down in the hole, there were a few pieces of trash inside, but nothing else. Still, she plucked out the trash and reached inside to feel around. The stone inside was surprisingly smooth despite its age and exposure.  
  
“Did you reach inside?” Rose asked Varlin.  
  
“No,” Varlin answered with a confused look.  
  
Rose stepped back and gestured to it. “Please try.”  
  
Varlin gave Rose a strange look but stepped forward and with a displeased grimace slipped her hand into the dirty hole.  
  
“What are you hoping for?” Major Terfirn asked.  
  
“I don’t know,” Rose answered with a frown. “But maybe some kind of recognition system for Alaydens.” She shrugged at their looks. “Hey, it’s all I can think of.”  
  
Suddenly Varlin gave a cry and pulled her hand out. Red blood was seeping from her fingertips. Her cry brought Andalin, Astra, Sharon Regir and Handen running over.  
  
“What happened?” Andalin asked, looking at Varlin’s hand in alarm.   
  
No one answered the question because the hole in the brick structure began to glow slightly with a light violet colour. Rose leaned over cautiously and grinned in amazement. She allowed herself a little fist pump of victory. The smooth stones were suddenly bright with markings and what almost looked like circuitry. A low grinding sound reached her ears and Rose took a step back on reflex. The stones around the hole slowly shifted inwards as the violet glow spread over the formation. After a minute of the grinding noise and the stones moving a small narrow doorway appeared and the violet light faded. Pulling out her torch, Rose shined it down into the doorway. A long dark corridor stretched out in front of them at a downward sloping angle.  
  
“Handen, Regir stand guard here,” Major Terfin ordered sharply to the others. “Distract humans from seeing this as much as you can.” He pulled out a torch from his own belt and stepped forward towards the doorway. Due to his height, it took him a few moments to manoeuvre so that he could move.   
  
Rose entered next, followed by Andalin and then Varlin, Astra, Sharon and Shareen. As they descended into the tunnel Rose heard someone humming the Indiana Jones theme song and somehow knew it was Astra.


	34. Secret of the Alhambra: Hidden Cavern

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Thirty-Four: Secret of the Alhambra: Hidden Cavern  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.  
  
……………………  
  
The theme tune to Indiana Jones confused the Alaydens, but it made Shareen and Sharon giggle. Judging from their nervous giggles that echoed along the passage they probably needed it. Rose personally was waiting for the cave in or something else to go wrong. Her torch blub flickered for a moment and she sucked in a sharp breath, but it quickly started working normally once again. Then the corridor began to open up and there was a faint light up ahead.  
  
Gasping, Rose grinned widely as she stepped into the large cavern. A small smooth ship was standing in the middle of the room with bits of dirt and grime dulling the surface in many places, but other gleamed in the purple lights that were placed around the cavern. They were tall and faceted like crystals with no clear division of parts, but glowing with a low light that was growing brighter as each of them stepped into the cavern until the light was bright enough to illuminate the entire cavern. Most of it looked natural with shining stalactites hanging from the ceiling and almost glowing purple in the faint lights of the equipment. Stalagmites were fewer in number, but some were growing out of the floor around the lamps.  
  
“Incredible,” Andalin breathed. “Just incredible.”  
  
“Pretty,” Astra said with a smile as she moved out of the doorway and turned off the torch she was holding. “I like the purple,” she observed with a grin.  
  
Rose chuckled, the sound echoing slightly in the cavern. Turning off her own torch she turned to Andalin who was examining one of the lanterns with Major Terfirn Yarn-iyti. Both of them had turned off their telepathic imagers and Rose glanced around to confirm that Varllin had done the same. Gently, Rose reached into her pocket to retrieve her translator and slipped it back on. The Alaydens were talking quietly and after a moment the Major nodded and turned back towards the ship. Andalin inched towards it and Rose stepped back to join her friends as the Alaydens cautiously walked to the ship.  
  
“How do we open it?” Varlin asked eagerly, moving around the area.  
  
“There must be an access hatch near here,” Andalin answered as she frowned up at the metal. “That’s where it was on the wrecks we found.”  
  
“Those wrecks were larger ships,” Varlin reminded Andalin as she ran a hand over the dirty metal in search of a seam. “This is a different design.”  
  
Glancing around, Rose began to slowly move through the cavern looking for anything other technology. In front of the ship between a pair of the purple lights was a small pedestal with more of the symbols on them. Using her hand, Rose gently brushed away the mineral buildup from the cave and studied the words.  
  
“Andalin,” Rose called. “Over here, I think this will activate for you.”  
  
Andalin was at Rose’s side in an instant. She pulled out a small hand device and held it towards the pedestal. A small light flashed and ran over the inscription making Rose guess it was some kind of camera.  
  
“I understand your desire to study this,” Rose said gently. “But I’d really like to get the potentially dangerous failing ship part off of my planet.”  
  
“Oh,” Andalin’s skin flushed dark violet. “And you think me touching it will do something?”  
  
“Well the touch of an Alayden opened the tunnel,” Rose reminded her. “Let’s give it a try.”  
  
Andalin reached over and brushed her fingers over the pedestal, but nothing happened. Then the archaeologist leaned over to study the pedestal more closely. A moment later she smiled and pressed down gently on a button. The top of the pedestal flickered and there was a crack of energy before a fuzzing hologram appeared above the pedestal.  
  
The hologram came more into focus but was still distorted. It was a female Alayden who resembled Andalin with shining violet skin and large purple eyes looking unseeing towards them. However, the figure was dressed in what looked like a Roman style dress with gold bracelets on her violet arms.  
  
“Welcome,” the figure greeted. “You have come a long way to find this place and I shall hope that you come from our home world. When we departed we did not know if any others of our species would survive. We travelled far but were forced to land on this planet following an engine malfunction that made continuing beyond this star system risky. Using telepathic imagers we were able to hide within the local population and at first, we hoped to repair the ship, but in time we found ourselves a new home here. While this world was not as advanced as our own and the people more primitive we found peace here that we had not on our home world. To our surprise, we were able to reproduce with the natives and at first we taught our children some of our secrets, but they lacked the ability to activate our technology which requires a genetic code.”  
  
The figure now gestured around at the cavern. “We secured this hiding spot for the ship in order to preserve something of us should the homeworld be destroyed. Our DNA lives on in small fragments within some humans and the ship was meant to give rise to a new world. While all of this remains intact our presence here has changed the humans forever. We will give rise to a new world, if not in the way we expected.”  
  
Then the figure chuckled. “It now occurs to me that you may not be from our homeworld, but that humans might someday discover their connection to us and find this place.” She smiled warmly. “If that is the case then be cautious with what you find and remember us. We were not many and little of us survives in you, but we touched you and you became part of us.”  
  
The image flickered and vanished leaving Andalin staring at the empty space with a sad, but triumphant expression on her face. She pulled her hand away from the pedestal and turned to Varlin who had an expression of awe on her face. “It would seem that the verbal language is not too badly changed.”  
  
“Yes,” Varlin agreed weakly. “But perhaps given the events of the war that should not be a surprise.”  
  
“Let’s find that energy cell,” Andalin declared as she turned to the Major. “And copy any computer information we can find.”  
  
“What of the ship?” the Major asked.  
  
Andalin looked over at the ship with a sad smile. “We cannot remove it safely, that much is clear. Perhaps humans who carry the Alayden DNA will discover it one day and be able to play the message.” She looked at Rose who smiled and nodded. Andalin nodded in return and walked over to the ship with Varlin and resumed their search for the opening.  
  
“Let me guess what she said: Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi you’re my only hope,” Astra teased softly with a wide smile as she walked up to join Rose by the pedestal.  
  
“Can’t you take anything seriously?” Rose asked with a smile of her own.  
  
“Harder without a translator, besides no violent aliens, no world at stake and no risk to friends and family, just seeing something beyond what other humans will see for hundreds of years,” Astra observed looking over at the ship. “Don’t you just love it?”  
  
Rose blinked at Astra and then looked over at the Alaydens as they opened their ship with awed looks. A smile tugged at her lips. “Yeah,” she breathed. “Yeah, I love it.” Rose sighed softly with a surprised look on her face. “I’d almost forgotten that.”  
  
“Never forget that,” Astra told her seriously as she reached over and took Rose’s hand. “You have an amazing life.”  
  
“Rose!” Andalin’s voice called from the ship’s side as the door slowly creaked open. “Come see this!”  
  
“Go on,” Astra urged. “Have fun.”  
  
Rose giggled softly and pulled out her sonic pen before joining the Alaydens. Following them inside, Rose smiled as the old systems struggled to turn on the lights. The hallways were dim, but the metal was smooth and curved into round hallways. There was a slight violet tint to the metal that after a moment Rose decided was indeed a part of the metal and not just from the lights. Andalin led the way up a level to a large room with a glowing metal casing. Studying it, Rose could see a small hole in the metal that looked like it had been caused by corrosion.  
  
“Here it is,” Major Terfirn called as he caught Rose’s arm. “I think you should leave now Rose, these chemicals are far more dangerous to you than to us.”  
  
“Please,” Andalin added. “Varlin and the Major will handle this part of the mission.” She gestured back the way they’d came. “Please invite the others in and we will see what can be salvaged from the computer.”  
  
Nodding in agreement, Rose followed Andalin back to the main door before sticking her head out and giving the call clear to her friends.  
  
“This is great,” Shareen laughed as she climbed into the ship. “An alien spacecraft, friendly aliens and we’ll still get to Seville in time to see the Easter procession.”  
  
“Easter,” Rose groaned. “Yeah right, that’s Sunday.”  
  
“Typical,” Sharon sighed with a laugh and a shake of her head. “You’d forgotten why we came to Spain in the first place.”  
  
“I did not,” Rose insisted even as a blush coloured her cheeks.  
  
“Did too,” Sharon laughed out loud. “You were thinking about aliens.”  
  
“No, I wasn’t.”  
  
“Yeah, you were,” Shareen pressed with a grin.  
  
Astra grinned at them, but shook her head and turned to Andalin. “So computer right?”  
  
“Uh,” Andalin said looking a bit flustered, “I believe it is this way.”  
  
“They’ll catch up,” Astra promised with a nod towards Rose, Sharon and Shareen. “They just need a moment.”  
  
“If you say so,” Andalin agreed with one final glance at Rose before she turned to lead Astra to the computer room.  
  
…………………………  
  
The airport of Malaga was smaller than the Barcelona airport that they’d all arrived in Spain through, but felt busy all the same as the international flights were announced. It was the Wednesday after Easter Sunday and time for Astra, Sharon, Shareen and Rose to return to their regular university lives. They’d left on schedule for Seville and received a message late Saturday night just before the Easter procession began that the energy cell was safely off of Earth. Content that they’d finished the latest alien task, Rose had allowed herself to fully enjoy the parade of elaborate carried floats, the sea of robes and march of candles that made up the final grand Easter procession. They’d even found a good place to watch the parade from which occurred in the early hours of the morning before the sun rose.  
  
With a sigh, Astra looked up at the board that was announcing her flight to New York City. “You’ve got a long day,” Rose observed from next to her. “We’ve just got a few hours, but you’ve got to cross half the Earth.”  
  
“I’ll be fine,” Astra promised with a grin. “Private little telly remember.”  
  
“I remember,” Rose chuckled. “Hopefully there’s some good movies to pick from. When I went to see Ace in New York there was only one interesting film.”  
  
“If that’s the case I’ll play games,” Astra answered with a shrug.  
  
“Are you sure you’ve got everything you need?” Rose asked.  
  
“I’m fine Mum,” Astra retorted with an eye roll and then blushed slightly.  
  
Shareen and Sharon giggled behind their hands, but Rose rolled her eyes in response. “Fine, fine,” she muttered, tossing her hands up. “Forgive me for wanting to make sure you had everything.”  
  
Astra glanced at Shareen and Sharon and then over at a little shop. “Actually could you get me some tissues while I double check things, I’m feeling a little stuffy.”  
  
Rose blinked at Astra, but nodded and walked over to the small lobby shop where a few people were grabbing things. Astra stepped forward and hugged Shareen tightly. “You’re a great friend to her,” Astra told her softly. “Never doubt that. Growing up you were always Aunt Shareen.” Astra released her and looked over at Sharon. “And you were Aunt Sharon. I’m half human, this is the closest I have to a homeworld and the people here that made up my human family matter so much to me.”  
  
“I guess the Club is a big part of that,” Sharon remarked with a smile as she stepped forward to hug Astra.  
  
“Not as much as you’d think. Daddy is still a bit nervous around them, but Sarah Jane did look after me more than once. Dad always said Ian couldn’t be trusted not to tell tales.” Astra brushed a loose strand of brown hair behind her ear. “Besides the companions, I know best are Jack and Donna.”  
  
“Ah Captain Jack,” Shareen said with a chuckle. “Your dad let you spend time with him as a kid?”  
  
“He’d never risk scarring one of the Doctor’s kids,” Astra replied with a laugh. She glanced over her shoulder to see Rose approaching. “Look one more thing: history doesn’t always happen like you think it should.”  
  
“What does that mean?” Sharon asked with a perplexed look as Astra’s face became very serious.  
  
“Things may happen that seem wrong to you, but they may, in fact, be what has to happen,” Astra explained in a rush. “Make sure you live in the present and don’t worry about the future.” Astra let out a breath. “Forget that I even exist as anything other than your friend in America.”  
  
“Here you go,” Rose said to Astra as she joined them and handed Astra the tissues. “Have everything?”  
  
“Yeah,” Astra said as she slipped the small package into her bag. “That’s it.” She stepped forward and hugged Rose tightly. “I’m going to miss you most,” she told Rose.  
  
Rose laughed and returned the hug. “I’ll miss you too, don’t forget to call.”  
  
“I won’t,” Astra promised. “And you take care of yourself.”  
  
“I will,” Rose assured her as she released Astra. “Thanks for joining us.”  
  
“It was my pleasure,” Astra told her with a grin. “Lots of fun!” She shrugged with a guilty look. “I’m just sorry you three had to come to the airport early like this.”  
  
“It was check-out time anyway,” Shareen said with a shrug. “And at least we’re through security early.”  
  
“Yeah, three hours early,” Sharon added with a raised eyebrow. “And we’ve already had lunch now.”  
  
“Come on,” Rose cut in gesturing towards Astra’s gate. “You’d better go.”  
  
Astra hugged them all one more time and grabbed her carry on. As she walked to her gate, she turned and gave them a wave before handing her ticket to the attendant. Rose sighed as Astra vanished through the doorway.  
  
“So what did she want to talk with the two of you about?” Rose asked suspiciously. “I know she didn’t really need those tissues.”  
  
“Oh just the usual,” Shareen answered quickly. “Asked us to keep an eye on you and be sure to remind the Doctor to treat you right.”  
  
Rose looked over at them with a doubtful expression. “Alright have your secrets then, but secrets don’t stay that way forever,” Rose reminded them before she picked up her own bag and gestured down towards their gate. “Shall we at least get as comfortable as possible.”  
  
“Lead the way,” Sharon said and as Rose moved forward she leaned over and whispered. “I really hope I get to be there when Rose does find out the secret.”  
  
“Me too,” Shareen agreed, but then she frowned. “What do you think Astra was talking about?”  
  
“I don’t know,” Sharon replied softly. “But I suspect that we’ll find out soon.”  



	35. Interlude with Jack

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Thirty-Five: Interlude with Jack   
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
…………………………….  
  
Rose rolled over with a groan and picked up the ringing mobile phone. A quick glance at the alarm clock told her that it really wasn’t very early, but she was still on break so it felt like it was.   
  
“Hello,” Rose said as clearly as she could manage.  
  
“Morning gorgeous,” a cheerful male voice greeted on the other end. In her half-asleep state, it took Rose a moment to place the voice.  
  
“Jack?” She asked a moment later when her brain began to work. Sitting up straight in bed, Rose’s expression became worried. “Is something wrong?”  
  
“Relax Rose,” Jack answered with a chuckle. “Nothing is wrong.”  
  
“Oh,” Rose replied softly as she stood up and walked to her dresser. “Then hello.”  
  
“Hello Rose,” Jack said sounding like he wanted to laugh. “Doesn’t Cambridge start back up on your birthday this year?”  
  
“Yeah,” Rose answered around a yawn. “I’m heading back tomorrow to get settled back in and then the Doctor’s picking me up.”  
  
“I’m jealous,” Jack complained with a huff before turning cheerful once more. “Then how about lunch, just the two of us.”  
  
Rose blinked in surprise, sure she knew Jack was a friend, but this was a bit of a surprise. “Okay,” she heard herself say. “Where do you want to meet?”  
  
“How about I pick you up?” Jack suggested sounding far too amused for Rose.  
  
“Alright,” Rose agreed after a moment’s pause. “Mum’s out of the house most of the time right now.”  
  
“Right,” Jack breathed slowly. “She knows one of the big secrets now.” There was a paused, “Things still awkward?”  
  
“Yeah,” Rose answered softly with a sigh. “She barely talks to me.”  
  
“I’ll be by in an hour,” Jack told her warmly. “See you soon gorgeous.”  
  
Rose closed her mobile and looked at herself in the mirror. “Do you know what you just got yourself into?” she asked herself, but she didn’t have an answer.  
  
Rose showered and washed her hair before doing it up in a quick side crown braid to keep her long bangs out of her face. She had originally planned on having her Mum trim up her hair, but with the awkwardness, Rose wasn’t going to ask Jackie to come near her with scissors. Besides as she considered the style that Shareen had suggested Rose considered that maybe it was time to let her bangs grow all the way out.  
  
Not knowing what Jack had in mind, Rose dressed in blue dark jean and a purple turtleneck sleeveless shirt that Sharon had talked her into buying. It was dressy enough to work if they went someplace nice, but not too much. As she slipped on her jewellery, Rose gently touched her sapphire pendant. It occurred to her that she was about to turn twenty and poor Jane had only been sixteen. Rose had a great if odd significant other while Jane had been abandoned by the very husband whose family had pulled her into the royal fray. Taking a deep breath, Rose tried to clear her thoughts, getting angry about Jane’s fate wouldn’t change anything and wouldn’t help anything. But maybe it was time to swing by the Tower of London and put some fresh flowers on the grave.   
  
She grabbed a small purse and transferred her mobile, wallet and sonic pen into it along with a few other things. Glancing at the clock, Rose headed downstairs to wait for Jack. Rose studied the house thoughtfully and she leaned against a wall. One of her mother’s pink jackets was tossed over the back of the parlour sofa and a popcorn bag was on the coffee table from when she’d been watching TV. Her eyes trailed up the painting of Lumen and Rose gazed at it thoughtfully. The glowing figure looked out towards her with the TARDIS standing in the background surrounded by the stars. Yet how Rose at the age of fourteen had painted the TARDIS she’d never seen remained a mystery. She half hoped Shareen was right that she’d seen it during one of her early meetings with the Doctor out of the corner of her eye and the image of it was in her subconscious. But Rose didn’t think that was it. She just didn’t have a better explanation yet.  
  
The doorbell rang and Rose couldn’t help, but smile a little. Jack Harkness did like to say he was a gentleman. Rose’s smile widened a little bit more as she wondered if she should check for mistletoe when she opened the door. Jack was dressed a lot more simply than he had been last time Rose saw him. His long coat was gone and he was in a blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up exposing his vortex manipulator on his wrist.  
  
“Rosie!” Jack greeted with a wide smile as he held out his arms waiting for a hug.  
  
Rose grinned, but looked up and examined the doorframe and overhang making Jack laugh. She looked back at the former Time Agent and then stepped forward to hug him. Peeking over his shoulder, Rose saw a black SUV parked on the street.  
  
“You actually have a vehicle?” Rose asked.  
  
“What did you think when I said I’d pick you up?” Jack questioned as he released her. “Just the vortex manipulator?”  
  
“If you had then I would have insisted on driving,” Rose replied with a shudder. “I hate travelling with those things. They’re so bumpy.”  
  
“Now you sound like the Doctor,” Jack grumbled with an eye roll. “He always going on about the TARDIS.”  
  
“Well you have to admit that she is amazing,” Rose reminded him with a tongue on teeth smile. “But I suppose a vortex manipulator is a great backup.”  
  
“Exactly,” Jack agreed in a pleased tone. “Mind you, even he knows that since he’s the one who fixed it for me.” Jack smiled at her. “Course part of the arrangement was that I’d use it to make sure you escaped a dangerous situation.”  
  
Now Rose rolled her eyes and huffed, “Honestly you two. I can take care of myself you know.”  
  
“I know,” Jack assured her. “And he knows that too, it’s just part of how we operate.” Jack gave her a pointed look. “And I think we both know that you’ll end up doing some crazy things to protect the Doctor and I in the future.”  
  
“Possibly,” Rose replied with a noncommittal shrug. “Let me grab my purse,” she told him. “And Mum’s not home so it’s safe to come in.”  
  
“Safe?” Jack asked as he followed Rose into the parlour.   
  
“Well I suppose you wouldn’t mind my Mum’s flirting, but I don’t want to see it,” Rose answered as she grabbed her purse.  
  
She turned back to Jack only to find his eyes on the Lumen painting and a small smile on his face. Rose studied his expression and then glanced back at the painting, wondering what Jack was seeing that she wasn’t.  
  
“Does it mean something to you?” Rose asked curiously, watching his expression closely.  
  
“Well it is the painting that saved the Doctor’s life,” Jack told her with a secretive smile. “Pretty amazing in that light don’t you think.”  
  
“Yeah,” Rose said suspiciously which only made Jack grin at her.  
  
“Don’t fish Rose,” Jack scolded lightly. “I used to be a Time Agent, I’m trained not to give things away.”  
  
“But you’ve told me a lot of things,” Rose argued as she followed Jack back towards the door.  
  
“Gorgeous I have never revealed anything to you that I did not mean to reveal to you.”  
  
Rose huffed slightly and closed the door, locking it with a quick flick of her sonic pen.  
  
“Key too normal for you?” Jack asked.  
  
“No,” Rose said. “Just already at the bottom of the purse.”  
  
Jack opened the passenger door for her with an exaggerated movement and Rose tried to hide her smile. As Jack climbed in the driver’s side, Rose spotted Gita Chandra down the street watching them. The Indian woman waved to Rose with a wide smile and Rose managed a small wave back as Jack pulled away from the curb.  
  
“Lovely,” Rose sighed. “Now the whole street is going to be talking about you, probably think you’re my boyfriend.”  
  
“Is that so bad?” Jack teased.  
  
“With my Mum yes,” Rose muttered. “She’ll accuse me of keeping more secrets.”  
  
“Well you do have a secret boyfriend,” Jack reminded Rose in a teasing voice. “Wild brown hair, alien, travels around in a blue box and tends to regenerate.”  
  
“Yeah, hence the guilt,” Rose muttered.  
  
“It’ll get better,” Jack promised. “And if it helps while she and the Doctor’s ninth regeneration will never get along well she and the tenth regeneration get on fine.”  
  
“The Doctor has hinted as much,” Rose said. “Which I hope means she forgives me.”  
  
“She will,” Jack promised. “She’s just taking in a lot right now.” He reached over and touched her hand gently. “You’ll see it will be fine, just give it some time.”  
  
“Time,” Rose said softly. “Always an interesting factor in my life.”  
  
“A fascinating one,” Jack agreed.  
  
“Engaging,” Rose offered on an impulse making Jack grin.  
  
“Captivating,” he suggested.  
  
“Entrancing,” Rose added with a giggle.   
  
“Alluring,” Jack said making Rose laugh.  
  
“That last one sounds a bit less like interesting and more like something else,” Rose told him with a grin. “Probably from one of your pickup lines.”  
  
“I’ll have you know missy that my lines have never failed me.”  
  
“You tried them on me,” Rose reminded him with a grin.  
  
“I wasn’t really trying,” Jack told her with a chuckle. “If I had been though the Doctor would have been in trouble.”  
  
“Keep telling yourself that,” Rose told him. “Just don’t tell the Doctor that.”  
  
“So birthday girl,” Jack said after a moment. “Twenty huh?”  
  
“Yeah two whole decades,” Rose shook her head and chuckled. “Doesn’t seem like much, to be honest.”  
  
“Well you are dating someone who is over nine hundred years old,” Jack pointed out.  
  
“He’s older than that,” Rose told him. “He lost count years ago, but I think he just doesn’t want to admit to being over a thousand years old.”  
  
“The Doctor vain?” Jack asked in mock shock. “Never!”  
  
Rose laughed and settled back in her seat to watch the buildings go by as Jack drove her into London. “Hey, Jack?”  
  
“Yeah, Rosie?”  
  
“Thanks,” Rose told him. “I know that our timelines are weird, but it’s nice to have a friend like you. Sharon and Shareen are amazing, but they don’t really get the time-travel thing and the companions don’t know about my relationship. So thanks.”  
  
“You’re welcome,” Jack told her gently. “And it’s the same for me you know. Not the dating the Doctor thing obviously, although that would be nice, but my timelines are all over the place too.” He looked over at Rose. “Never doubt that we’ve a family Rose, a weird one, but we are definitely a family.”  
  
“I suppose I could have worse flirting partners/friend/brother figures,” Rose agreed. “No matter how weird that sounds.”  
  
Jack sighed loudly. “Just stomp all over my dreams Rosie.” Then he winked at her and Rose smiled warmly.


	36. Torchwood One: The Front Door

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Thirty-Six: Torchwood One: The Front Door  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
………………………  
  
The problem with facing off with aliens almost every month, taking a spring trip to Spain and then letting your significant other take you on a two-day comet-chasing trip for your birthday was that in late April there was a lot of work to do to get ready for finals. All those papers that she was theoretically supposed to be working on since Christmas were barely started. It didn’t help matters that her classmate and breakfast friend Jennifer already had one of hers done. Nor did it help that one of the said papers was for Ian’s class and shared connection with the Doctor or not he deserved his reputation as a demanding professor.  
  
Thus Rose Tyler was sitting at her desk with her glow of her laptop illuminating her face so late on a Saturday night that is was almost early instead of sleeping or being out with some of her uni friends. Finals were starting soon and Rose was determined to get at least one paper done by the end of next week in case the world tried to end during finals week. It was a dark thought, but there were moments she got the feeling that the universe didn’t approve of her trying for a degree and just wanted her travelling with the Doctor. At the moment the idea certainly seemed much more attractive. But she had her mother’s stubbornness for better or for worse.  
  
Sighing, Rose leaned back in her chair and reread the paragraph that she had just written. She groaned slightly. It was accurate and explained the science of the topic well enough, but it was horribly dry and the language was stiff.   
  
“A writer I am not,” Rose grumbled as she pulled up the thesaurus to see what she could change to make reading the paper a little less mind numbing. She was pretty sure that Ian would take marks off if she put him to sleep.   
  
The ringing of her mobile was both a happy interruption and an annoying one. She’d just felt a small surge of victory as she replaced show with demonstrating and it was already gone. Still, she picked up the phone and glanced at the caller ID. It was Spock.  
  
“Spock,” Rose greeted.   
  
“I’m sorry to disturb you, Rose,” Spock said, “But this is an emergency and I don’t think it’s a good idea for Sarah Jane to take this one.”  
  
Rose frowned and held her phone closer to her ear. “What’s going on Spock?”  
  
“I have detected an Otharan distress beacon from a ship that has crashed on Earth.”  
  
“Have the Otharans detected it?” Rose asked seriously. “And is that good or bad for Earth?”  
  
“The Otharans are usually a peaceful species,” Spock answered calmly. “But I’m afraid that the ship which crashed is carrying an important member of the Otharan Council.”  
  
“Bugger,” Rose groaned. “That’s not good, they might freak out.”  
  
“I’m afraid it is much worse than that,” Spock told her. “Torchwood responded faster than UNIT and has taken the ship and Councilor Markin into custody meaning that UNIT has no jurisdiction. The distress signal is coming from inside Torchwood One and Torchwood’s policy is-”  
  
“If it’s alien it’s ours,” Rose quoted. “Hartman is about to start a war.”  
  
“As I said,” Spock said in his monotone voice. “This is an emergency. I suggest you get to London immediately.”  
  
Rose hung the phone after a quick promise to call again soon and rushed around her flat changing out of her lounging shorts into blue jeans and switching out her tank top for a t-shirt before pulling on her boots. She grabbed her sonic pen, wallet, keys and her mobile as she rushed out the door. There were still a few people awake in her building, but the garage was empty as she climbed into her jeep. Backing it up, Rose set her mobile on the passenger seat so that Spock could call her. Thankfully traffic was light as she manoeuvred her way toward M11 and London. The phone rang again after a few minutes and Rose quickly answered it, putting it on speak phone.  
  
“I’m on my way Spock,” Rose informed him as she kept her eyes on the road. “Please get me the layout of Torchwood One, any security information you can find and the exact location of the Otha… of the Councillor.”   
  
“Recusing the Otharans Councillor will not be a simple task,” Spock reminded her. “According to the information I have already collected on the situation Hartman has almost all of Torchwood in the building and working on the ship.”  
  
“So the ship is out for an escape,” Rose said thoughtfully.   
  
“Perhaps you should call the Doctor,” Spock suggested through the phone.  
  
“No,” Rose rejected quickly. “There’s a very… intense alien research group that is about to start a war because they have an alien Council member. I don’t want my alien involved in this.”  
  
“Perhaps I should wake Sarah Jane or you should call your friend Jack Harkness,” Spock suggested.  
  
“I’ll be fine,” Rose told Spock with a chuckle. “I’ve done this before.”  
  
“You’ve gone inside Torchwood only once and that was with Mister Harkness’ help.”  
  
“I’ve handled tense situations before,” Rose amended. “And I don’t want to get Sarah Jane in trouble. She’s got Luke to worry about after all.”  
  
“And your excuse for Jack?” Spock asked a bit smugly.  
  
“That wasn’t an excuse,” Rose insisted, raising an eyebrow despite the fact that Spock could not see her. “But I just saw Jack, if I was supposed to handle this with him, I’m sure he would have said so. Besides I’m not completely sure that Jack is human and would rather not risk Torchwood cutting him open.”  
  
“Just mind that your confidence doesn’t get you into trouble,” Spock said and a noise that sounded like a sigh came through the phone. “I will alert you if I find any additional information.”   
  
“Thanks, Spock,” Rose replied gratefully. “I’ll call when I get to London. And keep trying to reach the Otharans.”  
  
“Do you have a plan?” Spock asked.  
  
“Not yet,” Rose admitted. “But I’ll have one when I get there.”  
  
“I urge you to keep in mind that Torchwood knows who you are,” Spock reminded her sternly. “Your mother might not appreciate them arriving at her home.”  
  
Rose flinched and tightened her grip on the steering wheel. “Okay,” she conceded. “I’ll try to think of a safe plan with a decent chance of success.”   
  
“That would be preferable,” Spock replied. “I will have K-9 track the Otharans’ progress into the solar system.”  
  
“Thanks,” Rose said. “Both of you.”  
  
Driving in silence, Rose turned the problem over in her head. It was almost funny, she’d predicted after her first real encounter with Torchwood at Christmas that someday Hartman’s over-eager nature would cause a war. She doubted that it would be easy to get to the Councillor as Hartman was sure to guard a live alien specimen very carefully. Briefly Rose considered that she might, in fact, be too worried about this. Hartman was perhaps a little too zealous in her job, but she didn’t strike Rose as someone whose first course of action with an alien would be to torture it. In fact, Rose considered, it was equally possible that Hartman was working on charming the alien to reveal details of life on its planet and its technology. She hoped so at least. Her mobile rang again and Rose put it on speakerphone.  
  
“Yes, Spock?”  
  
“I have a briefing on the Otharans ready for you,” Spock informed her. “And I have identified the vessel entering the solar system as a Serlan Class Battlecruiser.”  
  
“That doesn’t sound good,” Rose muttered, nibbling at her lip.  
  
“It was the closest major ship,” Spock informed her. “The Councillor was apparently on his way to a meeting with the Rivin Republic so he was only in a light cruiser. The distress call indicates that the ship suffered from overheating from a solar flare and control was lost. It is quite remarkable that they even made it to Earth.”  
  
“Do we know anything about the crew of the ship?” Rose asked.  
  
“The Lamore Light Cruisers only have a crew of three,” Spock informed heer “Apparently the rest of the Councillors negotiation party was already on Rivin. Torchwood files indicate that two badly damaged bodies were removed from the front of the ship and a third alien died in transport.”  
  
“Then how can you be sure that the Councillor is even still alive,” Rose said with concern.   
  
“The Councillor is equipped with a small beacon, the crew are not,” Spock explained. “It is his beacon that is transmitting to his people currently. They can monitor his health with it. I have accessed the signal, it is strong, but there are clear injuries. It is impossible to tell if he is conscious and if Torchwood is trying to treat his injuries.”  
  
“Okay,” Rose breathed as she tried to gather her thoughts. “Spock what do you know about the Otharans in general.”  
  
“The Otharans are an older species in the galaxy and highly respected by the Shadow Proclamation. They live on three planets in their home solar system and have never expanded beyond that point, but have a wide network of alliances and formerly claim many of the nearby planets. Historically they claimed these worlds roughly five hundred years ago, but have never settled on them. Since then the Council of Otharans, which is the ruling body, had granted many of these planets to endangered species. They also protect these planets with their fleet which is a significant militant force, but as I noted is mostly automated due to the Otharans’ low population.”  
  
“So they’re pretty much good guys,” Rose observed.  
  
“One of the species they recently granted a planet was the Verlans, your friend Eve lives under their fleet’s protection.”  
  
Rose’s grip on her steering wheel tightened. “Spock do you have any projections for how the Otharans will react to this event?”  
  
“Difficult to project,” Spock answered carefully. “As the Councillor crashed on this planet they will not blame humans for the loss of the ship and the crew, but they also recognise Earth’s current status as a level five planet. It is most likely that they will use a small team of automatons to extract the Councillor in order to avoid violating the rules against Earth’s protected status while recovering the survivor. In any event, at their current speed, they will in Earth space in three hours.”  
  
Drumming her fingers, Rose nodded to herself. “Alright,” she murmured. “Anything else.”  
  
“Not at present, Torchwood’s defences are impressive and I’m having accessing their files,” Spock informed her thoughtfully. “It is possible that another entity is trying to hack into the system as well. I am detecting some strange commands in the system. It may be another party or one of Torchwood’s defences.”  
  
“Alright,” Rose said. “Well, let me know if you find anything else.”   
  
When the line went dead, Rose checked her mirrors and then pushed down a little harder on the gas. In the distance, she could the glare of the lights of London and the vast suburbs. Picking up her phone, she carefully set the alarm for two and half hours, just in case.  
  
Traffic in London was never empty, but at the early hour, it was lighter than she had seen. For a moment Rose thought nostalgically back to when aliens had emptied Earth and left the roadways wonderfully empty for a whole day. Of course, she hadn’t been able to drive back then and hadn’t had a car so Roe really didn’t know how that would have been. But with her phone counting down and getting stuck in traffic, Rose was willing to bet that it would have been wonderful.  
  
Canary Wharf was empty except for the towering Torchwood building where almost every light was on. Rose parked around the corner, close enough for a fast escape she hoped and not so close that Hartman would catch her in an instant. A creeping sense of dread was growing in her and she wondered again if this was a good idea. If something went wrong then the Doctor would be exposed to Torchwood trying to protect her and UNIT might have a major incident on their hands. Not to mention what might happen with the Otharans.  
  
“Okay,” Rose breathed as she climbed out of her jeep and looked over at the tall Torchwood One building. Digging into her pocket she pulled out a 10 pence and tossed it lightly in her hand. “Heads sneak in and free the Otharan and tails try the safer diplomatic method.”  
  
She tossed the coin in the air and caught it in her right hand. Quickly, without looking at it, Rose slapped it down on her left arm. It was tails. Letting out a small huff, Rose slipped the coin back into her pocket and checked her appearance in the driver’s side mirror. Then she opened the door back up and dug into the glove compartment until she found a comb and a spare hair tie.  
  
Pulling out her phone, she quickly texted a message to Spock to alert UNIT to the situation if he didn’t hear from her by the time the Otharans reached the asteroid belt. If nothing else maybe UNIT would be able to assure the Otharans that Torchwood was acting alone and did not represent the human species. Rose straightened her t-shirt which had a patterned Spanish motif from Cordoba on it and wished she dressed a little nicer for speaking with Hartman. Giving a small sigh, Rose turned and walked down the street towards Torchwood One.  
  
Glancing upwards, Rose studied the building and wondered where they kept aliens they captured. Was there a special above ground level or were they kept below ground? She knew that research on alien technology took place all throughout the building, breaking the traditional view of that kind of thing happening below ground. Her eyes found the top of the building which looked like it was still undergoing some kind of construction. With a frown, she remembered Benton commenting on how strange their new building was, but shrugged it off as she reached the front door. A glance to the right verified that a camera was fixed on her. Rose smiled and waved at it before pressing the buzzer by the front door.  
  
“Rose Tyler here to see Yvonne Hartman,” she said calmly. “It’s urgent.”  
  
The door clicked as the lock disengaged and a moment later the elegant door opened. Stepping into the lobby, Rose noted that the security guard was standing on his feet and watching her. Rose walked a short distance in and towards the desk as her eyes glanced towards the lift. She wasn’t disappointed as the lift dinged a few moments later. Yvonne Hartman dressed in an elegant charcoal dress suit and high heel with her blonde hair fluffed to perfection stepped out into the lobby. Torchwood’s administrator smiled widely at Rose.  
  
“Rose,” she greeted pleasantly. “This is a pleasant surprise.” She gestured to the lift behind her. “Please come in, come in.”  
  
“Hello Yvonne,” Rose replied with a nod as she walked over towards the lift. Stepping into the lift, Rose watched as Hartman pressed one of the higher level buttons.  
  
“You have wonderful timing,” Hartman said to her. “But then I’m sure you know that.” Hartman looked over at Rose with a smile. “I’ll be honest I was expecting you to try the back door, not the front one.”


	37. Torchwood One: Debate

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Thirty-Seven: Torchwood One: Debate  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
………………………  
  
“You have wonderful timing,” Hartman said to her. “But then I’m sure you know that.” Hartman looked over at Rose with a smile. “I’ll be honest I was expecting you to try the back door, not the front one.”  
  
“I thought about it,” Rose admitted. “But I realised that you are an intelligent and reasonable woman.”  
  
“Flattery Rose?” Hartman asked with a smile.  
  
“Actually no,” Rose answered with a shrug. “You wouldn’t hold this position otherwise.” Rose turned to face Hartman directly. “You’re currently holding a member of the Otharan Council and a Serlan Class Battlecruiser is on its way into the Solar System. I’m sure you’ll detect in in the next half an hour or so. This is a friendly warning.”  
  
Hartman laughed cheerfully. “That’s a nice try Rose,” she complimented with an amused smile. “But I doubt it. A small ship crashed on our planet and this time we actually have a survivor.” Hartman fixed Rose with a look. “We got there first. I don’t know what Benton thinks sending you here with that kind of a story will accomplish, but this one is ours, this one is Britain’s.”  
  
“Hartman I’m serious,” Rose argued as the lift doors opened. She didn’t really pay much attention to where she was as she followed Hartman.  
  
“In 1996, a Jathaa Sunglider was shot down over the North Sea,” Hartman told her. “Do you know what the Jathaa did? Nothing. Since then we have reverse-engineered their technology and now we have a working prototype defence weapon.”  
  
“Not every species will be willing to allow you to profit off of their tragedies,” Rose told her. “The Otharans are not going to abandon one of their own on Earth. Like I said this is a member of the Council.”  
  
“If that’s true then he will have valuable information,” Hartman countered as she used her card to open a doorway.   
  
“Hartman,” Rose growled as she tried to control her temper. “If a member of the royal family or the Prime Minister crash landed in a plane in a hostile country, what would you do?”  
  
“We’re not talking about me Rose,” Hartman chided as she opened another door. “And these are aliens.”  
  
“Human emotions and thoughts aren’t restricted to humans you know,” Rose argued as she followed Hartman through the door and then stopped.  
  
The large high space had a small shuttle like ship sitting in the middle. Burn marks covered the underside from its entry into the atmosphere and the outer shell was cracked in many places. Men and women in lab coats were crawling all over it with cameras, probes and other equipment. Others were already taking sections of controls, the engines and internal machinery out of the ship and loading them into small crates.   
  
“Glorious isn’t it,” Hartman declared with a wide smile.  
  
“I’ve seen better,” Rose mocked with a shrug as she examined the ship. It was smaller that she had expected and only about eight feet high and twenty feet long making it one of the smaller ships she’d ever seen.   
  
“Ah yes, the Tervtian ship that we were denied access to,” Hartman noted with a distasteful tone. “The things we could have done with that technology.”  
  
“Hartman the danger with reverse engineering a ship that crashed is that it crashed,” Rose reminded her with a sigh. “Something went wrong and the internal systems are fried, melted or vaporised.” Rose shook her head. “I’m afraid to ask how many accidents you’ve had in your projects.”   
  
Hartman sighed softly but put the smile back on her face. “Rose,” she pressed gently. “Why must you fight us like this?”  
  
“Fight?” Rose asked. “I came here to deliver a warning,” she reminded Hartman. “I’m trying to protect your people and keep Earth from ending up in a war.”  
  
Hartman was about to respond when one of the scientists in the ship gave a small cry of alarm. “Ms Hartman there is a beacon transmitting.”   
  
Turning her attention to the man, Hartman walked over in a few quick and long strides. “How strong is it?”  
  
“Very,” the man answered, gesturing towards the computer. “We only separated the signal from the other system alerts, otherwise we would have noticed it sooner.”  
  
“I told you,” Rose quipped as she came up behind them. “Tell the Councillor that he’s safe and work with him to contact his people. It will serve Earth in the long run.”  
  
“This doesn’t prove that a ship is coming,” Hartman snapped. “It just explains how you knew about this.”  
  
“How did you think I knew?” Rose asked with a questioning look.  
  
“You have some kind of supercomputer,” Hartman hissed with irritation on her features. “Unfortunately it is in the home of Sarah Jane Smith who has protected status by UNIT and the Crown.”  
  
Rose tried to keep a straight face, but the look of triumph that appeared on Hartman’s face told her that she hadn’t managed. Then the lights flickered slightly and one of the nearby computer screens flashed off and then back on.  
  
“What was that?” Hartman asked turning to one of her aids.  
  
“I don’t know ma’am,” the woman admitted as she reached for her earpiece. “Maintenance is checking the power grid and internal systems.”  
  
“Thank you, Rebecca,” Hartman offered before turning back to Rose. “Well Miss Tyler, you can see that everything is under control and the tour is over.” Hartman gestured towards the door. “I have a great deal of work to do, but the offer of joining Torchwood still stands.”  
  
“No thank you, Hartman,” Rose replied as she glanced towards the ship again, trying to figure out a plan B since the diplomatic approach had failed.   
  
Rebecca stepped forward and motioned for Rose to follow her. They were back at the doorway when it suddenly swung open and a middle-aged Indian man rushed past them.  
  
“There’s a ship coming into the solar system!” The man gasped as he reached Hartman. Rose stopped moving and turned to watch Hartman’s expression.  
  
“Do we know anything?” Hartman asked.  
  
“Nothing yet,” the man answered as he tried to catch his breath and gestured to the ship wreckage. “I did briefly pick up a signal between the crashed ship and the ship.” The man took a long breath. “Ma’am it’s huge! We don’t have a good reading on it yet, but it is at least a three miles wide and we can’t get a reading on the length yet.”  
  
“That would be the Serlan Class Battlecruiser,” Rose announced as she crossed her arms. “I did try and warn you, Hartman. The Otharans are coming and according to the information I have on them they are most likely to do an extraction of the Councillor with automatons.”  
  
“This changes nothing,” Hartman insisted with a harsh look at Rose. “They trespassed on our lands, we are well within our rights to seize them as illegals and take control over their ship.”  
  
“That’s human law,” Rose reminded her with an equal glare. “And you’ll find a lot of aliens aren’t going to care much about it. According to intergalactic law we barely exist, we’re too primitive! An idea that you are reinforcing!”   
  
“Rebecca,” Hartman called shifting her eyes to the woman watching them. “Escort Miss Tyler out, take security with you and make sure that she leaves.”  
  
“Hartman!” Rose snapped even as a pair of armed men came over to her. “If the positions were reversed you’d do the same thing! Be reasonable about this before your people are killed.” There was a flicker of something in Hartman’s eyes and her facial muscles twitched slightly, but she said nothing and turned back towards the ship. “This won’t end well for you,” Rose promised darkly. “UNIT will detect that ship and open communications with them. Benton won’t have much choice other than to leave Torchwood to attack by the Otharans.”  
  
“And I’m supposed to believe that you care?” Hartman asked as she turned back to Rose.   
  
“I don’t want to have people die,” Rose answered honestly, willing Hartman to see how much she meant the words. “The Otharans aren’t a hostile race, but you’re not leaving them many options. Please contact them and tell them that the Councillor is safe, ask them for medical information so you can help him until they arrive and then hand him over. If you do that they may see you as helpful rather than hostile.”  
  
“If it’s alien it’s ours,” Hartman repeated firmly. “This is the mission of Torchwood, Rose. I will not falter in it. I know my duty.”  
  
“So have a lot of other people who have died foolishly following orders and started wars across history,” Rose reminded her with a shake of head. “Know when to yield. Don’t let arrogance rule your decisions.”  
  
“I’d suggest the same thing to you,” Hartman said turning to Rose. “You charge off into danger like you’re invincible,” Hartman scolded her. “You even came here tonight alone, so confident in your own abilities and righteousness.” Hartman fixed her gaze on Rose. “Know when to yield.”   
  
They stared each other down and Rose wondered who would break first. Then a scientist suddenly swore across the room at one of the computers. Hartman turned to look over at him with an irritated look only to see all the monitors flash black. A split second later strange code began to fill the screens.   
  
“Someone has taken over the system!” a person shouted. “Security reports that we have lost cameras and our files are being copies off site.”  
  
Hartman wheeled on Rose, “Is this you?”  
  
“No,” Rose answered as she rushed over to one of the computers to look at the code. “This looks earth based, but I’m not the one doing it.”  
  
“It has to be you!” Hartman insisted, stalking after her and glaring at Rose’s back.  
  
“Would I risk it while I was this close to your security personnel?!” Rose snapped. The ringing of her mobile drew her attention and she ignored Hartman to pull it out. Checking the caller ID, Rose lifted it to her ear. “Talk to me.”  
  
“Rose I have been monitoring Torchwood’s internal system and I am afraid that another entity is taking over their security system,” Spock reported.  
  
“I noticed,” Rose remarked, keeping an eye on Hartman’s face. “Can you trace the interference?”  
  
“I am attempting to do so now with K-9’s assistance, but all commands and signals are being routed through a complex network of servers all across the globe. At this time I can only verify that it is not the Otharans, but terrestrial in origin.” There was a moment of silence. “K-9 found something…. Black sun. I’m not sure what it means, but I’m trying to establish contact with the system.”  
  
“Black sun?” Rose repeated only to see Hartman’s eyes widen. Rose turned her full attention to Hartman. “What is Black Sun?”  
  
“We’re not sure,” Hartman admitted carefully as she looked at the computers. “We found the name when we investigated that attack on UNIT during the Tervtian Incident.”  
  
“That wasn’t you?” Rose asked with wide eyes.  
  
“No,” Hartman insisted tensely. “You’ll find that I don’t order the murders of my countrymen.”  
  
Rose looked back at the computer screen and then around the room. “If you are telling the truth….”  
  
Suddenly everything when pitch black as all lights and electronics in the room switched off. There was a startled silence in the room that was interrupted by the heavy locks on the door opening with a load metal click.  
  
“The generators will be on in a moment,” Hartman announced loudly to the room, her voice echoing slightly.   
  
But nothing happened and Rose pulled out her torch. She brushed off Rebecca’s hand and ignored the security troops that moved towards her. Using the light of her torch she checked the door and found that it was open.  
  
“They’ve overridden the lock,” Rose pointed out as she looked over towards Hartman, moving the torch light with her. She raised her mobile back to her ear. “Spock, can you take control of Torchwood from them?”  
  
“Negative,” Spock answered. “I have only just located the server where the virus and security override are coming from. K-9 is providing assistance in ensuring that this system does not affect my own.”  
  
“Focus on finding out what they are doing and who they are,” Rose instructed.  
  
“Rose, if these are the same people who set the bomb…”  
  
“I’ll be careful,” Rose promised quickly. “Keep me updated as you can, but be careful and don’t risk your own system.” Rose quietly added, “And unleash Bad Wolf on both them and Torchwood’s systems if you can’t stop the transfer of information.”  
  
Rose put her mobile back in her pocket and turned to find Hartman giving orders to the scientists and the security guards. Hartman turned to say something to Rose when suddenly they heard the faint sound of gunshots followed by a high pitched whining sound. The floor shuddered beneath them, knocking Rose to her knees as Hartman gripped a desk.  
  
“Security get down there!” Hartman shouted. “No one attacks us!” Hartman looked over at Rose with a dark look. “It seems that there is a third player in town.”


	38. Torchwood One: Medical Quarantine

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Thirty-Eight: Torchwood One: Medical Quarantine   
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
……………………………  
  
Staying still, Rose listened to the sounds of a firefight down the hall and watched the Torchwood personnel rush around the large room. She looked over her shoulder at the ship and frowned. There was a nagging thought in her head that wouldn’t fully come together. Rose ducked behind one of the heavy lab tables as another set of shots rang out and Torchwood armed guards moved through the room, securing the entrances.   
  
Taking a long breath, Rose glanced around to check on the scientists who starting to move the boxes of technology and data that they had taken from the ship into a cupboard at the far side of the room. When a torch beam hit it Rose was able to see that the space was reinforced metal of some kind. Rose peered around the lab table and looked back at the front door. The security forces were standing guard and sounds of fighting were coming from down the corridor. Then everything went silent.  
  
Hartman turned towards the doorway with a frown and stepped carefully towards it. The three men guarding the door tensed even further and kept their weapons trained on the doorway. Rose pulled in a quick breath before standing and moving towards the wall, lowering her hand to be ready with her sword.  
  
“Sweep outward,” Hartman ordered softly. “We need to regain control.”   
  
The security men nodded and the first one opened the door inward as the other two moved outside. Leaning away from the wall, Rose watched them until they vanished from sight. Hartman glanced over at her before stalking towards the doorway. There was only the sound of their footfalls as they moved down the corridor for the longest time and then everyone remaining in the room minus Rose seemed to release their breath all at once.  
  
Rose waited another moment before she crept to the doorway and peeked out. At the far end of the hall, she could see Hartman with the security men with their torches. Looking over her shoulder, Rose checked on the scientists and technicians who were kneeling along the far wall with tense expressions. She walked over one of the scientists and knelt down.  
  
“Where is the alien?” Rose asked the man. He turned his dark brown eyes to her and nodded before catching himself.  
  
“You are not a member of Torchwood,” he pointed out with a deep frown. “What-”  
  
“Look,” Rose cut in impatiently. “If these are the same guys that attacked UNIT then they are after the alien, not the technology. That’s the only connection so far. If they know about Torchwood and haven’t gone after you before that means that it is the alien that drew them here today.”   
  
“They will be in custody any moment now,” the scientist informed Rose. “There is no reason for concern.”  
  
“No reason for concern?” Rose repeated. “Your entire system is compromised and the Otharans are still on their way.”  
  
“Two floors up,” another scientist, a woman of Indian descent suddenly told her. “The doorway is marked medical quarantine. Normally you’d need a special keycard, but…” the woman made a gesture towards the computers. “The stairs are to the right at the end of the corridor and around the corner.”  
  
“Thanks,” Rose told her with a nod. “Are you going to be okay here?”  
  
“There is a safe room one floor down,” the woman explained with a nervous glance at the others. “We’ll probably go there now, just to be safe.” The man who had refused to answer Rose’s question frowned but the other two scientists nodded.  
  
Rose returned to the doorway and looked down the hall. Using her hand, Rose covered her torch so only a small amount of light came through. She slowly moved down the corridor, letting the light shine only around her feet. Her heart beat quickly as her eyes flickered between the little bit of light allowing her to see her feet and the darkness ahead of her. At the end of the corridor, Rose turned to the right, using a hand on the wall to keep herself on track. A few windows gleamed with the lights London and for a moment Rose felt like she was in space with the shine of the stars and the blackness around her. The feeling faded as Rose forced herself to keep moving until she found the corner turn that led to the emergency stairs.   
  
Pushing open the doorway, Rose used her torch to climb the stairway safely. The darkness made the climb seem much longer and Rose was relieved when she found the doorway. Putting her ear to the door, she listened for the sounds of fighting. She didn’t hear anything and decided the Black Sun was probably still working their way up the building. Hopefully, Hartman could delay them a little longer.  
  
She had to raise the torch as she stepped out into the corridor. Fortunately, Torchwood in their tradition of high efficiency had signs pointing towards the medical quarantine. Rose wondered if it was the same place that the people who the Silver Lord had attacked at Christmas had been. She glanced at a closet to her left and smiled, maybe that was the closet she’d been with Jack in. The corridor was quiet, but up ahead Rose could hear a few voices. Leaning against the wall, Rose blocked the light of her torch with her body and carefully slid down the wall towards the voices.  
  
“I don’t care!” a female voice hissed. “The backup systems haven’t activated. I’m going to the safe room!”  
  
“We can’t leave the alien!” another female voice argued.   
  
“Eleanor,” the first woman’s voice huffed. “This isn’t normal, you know it. Look out the window. It’s our system that has been taken out. We’re under attack.”  
  
“All the more reason to stay with the alien,” a male voice argued.  
  
“No,” the female voice snapped. “This is because of the alien. Maybe Hartman was wrong and his people came for him. Our guards have already vanished downstairs because of some ‘emergency’ and haven’t returned! I don’t want to be found with a scalpel in my hands over his body!”  
  
A torchlight made Rose shrink back as a short woman in a lab coat stalked out into the corridor, but she turned away from Rose and headed the opposite direction. A moment later two more figures followed her, still arguing with her. Moving quickly, Rose rushed forward and through the doorway they had left which had medical quarantine on a sign next to it. She pushed the door closed and pulled out the sonic pen. The lock clicked into place just as shouting started outside. Rose ignored the pounding on the metal door and shined her light around the room. It was a central space with five doors leading off of it into smaller labs. Large windows allowed Rose to see into the different rooms. Using her torch she examined the room nearest to her.   
  
An alien that was badly burned was on an operating table in the middle of the space. Medical equipment surrounded it, only some of which Rose recognised. She watched the body for a moment waiting for a sign of life before noticing that there were no restraints on it. It was a corpse. Rose frowned sadly and moved to the next window. This lab had another burned up corpse awaiting study. Turning, she shined the light through the window behind her. There was another body, this one in three pieces so Rose moved on quickly. In the final lab, a battery powered light was hanging from an IV drip over an alien body, giving off a little light.  
  
Stepping into the room, Rose moved closer to the alien and studied him carefully, never having seen an Otharan before. He was about five feet tall and humanoid in shape wearing a simple paper hospital gown with some kind of breathing mask on his face. Reaching out, Rose gently touched the blue skin which felt warm to the touch but has no hair on it. The alien had a very slight build, with his bones and muscles clearly visible under his skin. Lines of whitish skin ran along the muscles and bones accentuating the visual effect and Rose briefly wondered if it was natural or cosmetic. His ears were about the same size as hers, but triangular in shape and hanging out from his head, almost like a dog’s ears.  
  
She pulled out her phone and hit the button to call Spock. The soft ringing tone seemed to echo in the quiet room and Rose adjusted the small battery light so it wasn’t shining directly down on the Councillor. A moment later K-9 answered the phone.  
  
“Spock is occupied with the Bad Wolf virus at this time Mistress,” K-9 informed her. “Enemy control of Torchwood system has been broken and the virus is now corrupting opposing machine.”  
  
“If he’s uploaded the virus why is Spock busy?” Rose asked, a little worried. “He wasn’t affected was here.”  
  
“Negative,” K-9 answered. “Spock is attempting to reactivate Torchwood security and internal communications and prevent Bad Wolf virus from shutting down the system.”  
  
“Oh right,” Rose breathed. “That’s good. I’m pretty sure that the generator has been destroyed at this point so you do need to get Torchwood’s systems back on.” Rose paused. “K-9 do you know much about the Otharans?”  
  
“Affirmative Mistress Rose,” K-9 told her.  
  
“Are they safe breathing the same oxygen mixture as humans?” Rose asked as she eyed the mask.  
  
“Earth’s atmosphere has a lower oxygen content than what is optimum for Otharans, but it is not harmful to them.”  
  
“Are you sure?” Rose asked.  
  
“Affirmative,” K-9 said and Rose thought he might just sound offended.  
  
“Okay,” she agreed. “I’m going to set down the phone, but don’t end the call. If Spock becomes free let me know.” Rose set the phone down on one of the machines next to the alien and turned on the speakerphone. “My name is Rose,” she said as she gently opened the restraints on the councillor’s hands and legs. “I’m here to help you. Your people are on their way. It’ll be okay.”  
  
The alien didn’t respond and Rose gently lifted the mask on his face away, watching to make sure he showed no signs of difficulty breathing. She caught a whiff from the mask and shoved it away as the one breath made her feel slightly lightheaded. Reaching down, Rose found the valve for the mask on the tank and shut it off so the sleeping gas didn’t keep pouring into the room.  
  
“Maybe you can wake up now,” Rose whispered reassuringly, reaching out and gently touching the alien’s arm.   
  
Rose studied the alien’s face now that the mask was gone. It was very human. His mouth had lips that were slightly rounded than hers and a dark blue hue. His nose protruded slightly but was rounded in shape and closer to his eyes than his mouth with large nostrils. Above his nose was three folds of tightly wrinkled skin that ended past his eyes and transformed into smooth hairless skin across his head. The eyes were still closed but were set similar to a human’s. They were a bit larger Rose guessed and set back further with a large brow ridge protecting them.  
  
The lights suddenly flashed on and Rose looked around to see several of the machines around her turning on. Quickly, she checked to make sure that there was nothing else connected to the alien. By the looks of things, a few IVs had been used earlier. Carefully Rose removed the one that was still in his arm before lowering and turning off the battery light.   
  
“Spock reports that Torchwood lights have been restored, but security measures cannot be restored,” K-9 reported.  
  
“I can speak for myself now thank you,” Spock interjected, sounding irritated. “I’m afraid that your virus is very effective, Torchwood’s security protocols have already been erased.”  
  
“So how are the lights on?” Rose asked as she glanced up at them. “Are they going to stay on?”  
  
“Black Sun, if they are called that, knocked out the power connection temporarily and kept the system from restoring it. I removed the lights from the system before the code was erased. I was not able to restore locks or cameras,” Spock informed her. “Torchwood’s system was completely compromised.”  
  
“They had everything on one system?” Rose puzzled with a shake of her head.  
  
“No, they did not,” Spock reported. “I discovered several different systems. Only a few aspects of operations were actually managed on site while information and records were spread amongst three other servers.”  
  
“And all of them were hit at once?” Rose asked torn between worry and being grateful that someone got Torchwood that badly.  
  
“Indeed,” Spock replied. “If this is the same operation then they consider Torchwood a very serious threat.”  
  
“They didn’t work that hard at the Tervtian crash,” Rose murmured thoughtfully.  
  
“They had time to plan this,” Spock reminded her. “If they were researching Torchwood it was just a matter of time. When you convinced UNIT to shelter the Tervtians that was a new policy and at a location that hadn’t been used in years.”  
  
“I’m not sure if that makes me feel better or worse,” Rose sighed. “How long until the Otharans arrive?”  
  
“Not long,” Spock announced, not sounding worried. “I am trying to establish communications with them now.”  
  
“Great,” Rose breathed. “Please tell them that the councillor is alive, but injured. If they are willing to send you medical information I can try to check him over.”  
  
“How bad is his condition?” Spock questioned.  
  
Rose looked down at the alien, using the full light to properly check him over. “Hard to say,” Rose answered nervously. After a moment of hesitation, she tugged at the hospital gown to look at the alien’s chest and upper legs. She couldn’t quite bring herself to check his genital region, he was a little too humanoid. “There looks like some dark discoloration near his neck and on his right side.”  
  
Rose turned to look around the room. The computer was back on, but the words ‘bad wolf’ were repeating down the screen so that was no help. There was an x-ray viewer at the far end of the room and there were a few sheets that looked like x-rays on a cabinet next to it. Rose looked back at the alien, but he wasn't moving so she walked over. She found the switch for the board and smiled at the low tech, but she was grateful for it. Putting the x-rays up, Rose looked them over, trying to understand was she was seeing.  
  
“Well he’s humanoid and has a ribcage sorta like mine,” Rose said out loud. “And comparing the two sides I’d say that he’s got at least three broken ribs on his right side. Probably connected to the discoloration on that side.”  
  
“That would be a logical conclusion,” Spock replied, sounding a touch amused.   
  
“Shut it,” Rose growled, “I’m not a doctor.”  
  
“What else Rose?” Spock asked in a more gentle tone.  
  
“Uh, well on this one,” Rose relayed as she switched to a head x-ray. “Shit, maybe some skull damage.”  
  
“Otharans have much more fragile bones than humans,” Spock supplied. “Since their evolution into highly intellectual beings their bodies have gradually become weaker and the councillor I expect is an older member of his species.”   
  
“Well tell that information to the Otharans and see if there is anything I can do in the meantime to help him,” Rose ordered. “Oh one last thing, I don’t see any burns on him so he seems to have been protected from the heat from the crash.”  
  
“I’m sending the information to the Otharans now,” Spock informed her. “Stand by.”  
  
Rose nodded to herself and walked back over to the alien. “It’ll be alright,” she promised softly as she gently set her hand on his, trying to give some comfort. “I know there’s a lot of bad stuff happening right now, but your people are coming to get you. They can help you. You’re going to be alright.” The hand moved under hers, turning slightly so his fingers brushed against her. Rose looked up at the alien’s face as his eyes opened. Her brown eyes met bronze coloured eyes. “Hello,” Rose greeted with a soft smile, grateful once again for her translator. “My name is Rose, I’m here to help you. Your people are on their way.”  
  
The alien’s eyes were glassy she realised and his gaze while on her was a bit unfocused. “My crew?” he asked. His voice was deep, but he was clearly in pain.  
  
“I’m sorry,” Rose apologised with a grimace. “The three members of your crew died in the crash.” The alien took a long deep breath but seemed in pain as his chest expanded. “Careful,” Rose cautioned. “You’ve got broken ribs on your left side. I’m not a doctor, but you should probably try to keep from breathing too deeply.” Rose paused and explained, “Also our atmosphere has less oxygen than yours so you’re probably going to be a little uncomfortable.”  
  
“I thought,” the alien trailed off. “After the crash… there were other humans,” he paused in confusion. “I didn’t understand everything they said, but the things I did understand…. They brought me here, some kind of gas…”  
  
“It’s okay,” Rose assured him quickly. “I took the mask off, you’ll be able to stay awake now. They won’t harm you.”  
  
He looked beyond Rose as his eyes landed on something behind her. Rose turned to see a small rack with phials of bluish blood. Judging from the other phials it looked like they had taken DNA samples, skin samples and who knew what else.  
  
“Sorry about that,” Rose apologised as she looked back at the alien. “The people who found you… they’re very narrow-minded,” she explained sadly. “They don’t really understand.” She paused. “The bodies of your crew are in the next rooms so you don’t need to worry about locating their remains.”   
  
“I am Markin ver Arlin,” the alien told her softly. “Thank you.”  
  
“Rose,” Spock called through the phone, “The Otharans will be in orbit in ten minutes. Is your location suitable for them to transport down automatons?”  
  
“Uh not in this room,” Rose answered as she looked around. “But in the next room is larger and empty, that should work.”  
  
Rose froze as a sound reached her ears that sounded a bit like drums. She paused and looked out the window of the lab and into the main room. Rushing forward, Rose ran from the room and towards the main door. She checked the lock and pulled on the door handle, it was still sealed thanks to the sonic pen, but on the side, she could hear the sound of people marching. Several people and judging from the sound they were the sort of people who marched in heavy combat boots.


	39. Torchwood One: Locked In

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Thirty-Nine: Torchwood One: Locked In  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
……………….  
  
Backing away from the door, Rose forced herself to take in a slow and calming breath. There was no way those people weren’t heading here so what could she do? Rose looked around at the five small labs, three of which held alien corpses and the fourth one where Markin was waiting. She made a quick decision and moved to the nearest lab, shutting off the lights and then locked the door. Rose tapped on the lab window with a slight frown. The glass was thick and had a dull sound when she rapped her knuckles against it. She hoped that meant it was bulletproof.  
  
Moving to the next lab, one with a corpse Rose shut off the lights and locked it up. She repeated it with the next corpse room and then turned back to where Markin was waiting. A sudden banging sound on the outer door made Rose gasp and jump slightly. She recovered quickly and rushed back to Markin’s side.  
  
The alien shifted slightly to watch her as she reentered the room and flinched in pain. Rose grabbed her mobile and hissed into it, “Spock, tell the Otharans to hurry. Use my ring signal or my phone signal, but we’re going to need help very soon.”  
  
“Is it Torchwood or Black Sun?”  
  
“I don’t know,” Rose replied sharply with more fear in her voice than she liked. “I locked the main door into the area with the sonic pen, but that won’t hold forever and I’m not sure how much protection the labs are going to give us.”   
  
Rose didn’t end the call but slipped her mobile into her pocket as she stepped up next to Markin. The councillor examined her face for a moment. “Torchwood or Black Sun?” he questioned.  
  
“Torchwood are the first people who took you,” Rose explained softly. “But another group, we don’t know much about them except that they are willing to kill those who get in their way may be here also.”  
  
“Do you have a plan?” Markin asked with a furrowing brow.   
  
“We’re trapped,” Rose admitted, biting her bottom lip. “But we can at least hide. The more time we can stall the better chance of your cavalry reaching us.”  
  
“What can I do to aid you?” Markin asked.  
  
Rose glanced around the room and spotted a small gurney tucked behind some of the equipment. It was the sort that had the crossed legs and wheels so it could be moved with relative ease and its height could be altered. Pulling it over, Rose lined it up next to the central medical table. Markin gently nodded his understanding and rose himself up as much as he could on shaking arms. Reaching out, Rose helped the councillor move over onto the mobile stretcher and sighed in relief as the alien laid back down with a painful sounding exhale.  
  
“I sorry,” Rose apologised softly, “This may hurt some more.”  
  
“It’s alright Rose,” Markin assured her in a gentle tone. “I know you are trying to help me. You have my gratitude.”  
  
Rose nodded, feeling a bit better and pushed the gurney around the machines as quickly as she could. The pounding has transformed from the irregular bang of kicks to the steady thuds of an organised effort to knock down the door. Rose supposed that she should be thankful they weren’t just using explosives. Opening the door to one of the labs without an alien and just some medical equipment, Rose carefully wheeled the councillor into the room. She pushed the gurney directly under the window and then carefully lowered it out of sight. Even if they looked through the windows the angle would prevent them from seeing them.   
  
Rose returned to the main room and checked that there were no signs of where the gurney had been moved. After a moment of consideration, Rose left the light on in the lab, but closed the door and locked it from the outside. Switching off the light in the main room, Rose found herself in an eerie darkness with only the light spilling from the far lab illuminating the space. She quickly moved back to the dark and quiet lab where she had hidden Markin, using her hands on the walls to find her way. Slipping inside, she closed the door was quietly as she could and locked it with the sonic pen. She stayed low to the ground and against the wall with the window.  
  
They stayed there in silence, listening to the banging on the main door that was accompanied by the sound of buckling and crunching metal. Rose pulled her knees to her chest and reached over to put her hand on the gurney. The weight of her mobile was comforting, but she didn’t dare pull it out just yet. A warm hand with smooth skin touched her own hand gently. Rose moved her hand slightly to return the comforting gesture. Either of them spoke and a second later the high pitched sound of metal buckling made Rose flinch.   
  
A heavy crash followed as the warped metal door fell into the main room as its hinges finally gave out. Rose reminded herself to breathe as the first of the unknown forces moved into the room. Despite the locked door and the heavy window between them and the outside, Rose could hear the heavy footfalls of their boots in the next room. A light shone into the room they were in, followed by another beam of light a moment later. The equipment was illuminated and the lights lingered on the empty and clean medical table. Markin’s grip on Rose’s hand tightened slightly, but otherwise, they were both perfectly still. Straining her ears, Rose could hear a few of the people moving away. They didn’t speak and she heard them moving throughout the main room, probably checking the other labs.   
  
The main room’s light came on, sending light pouring through the window above Rose into the room. Long shadows stretched out under every piece of equipment and none of the light touched Rose and Markin. She could hear the people in the main room more clearly now that they weren’t trying to be stealthy.   
  
“It was supposed to be in this one here,” a low male voice huffed in a German accent. “Door won’t open.”  
  
“No movement inside,” another voice reported, this one sounded Welsh.  
  
There was a loud crash as someone began working on the lab door. They weren’t heavy compared to the main door and Rose mentally waged that the door would give in less than a minute. She didn’t count the seconds and instead listened as someone moved towards the lab she was hidden in. There was a loud crash as the door was forced open.  
  
“Nothing!” a female voice growled with a local accent. “Torchwood must have moved it!”  
  
There was the sound of rapid movement towards the door until a male voice with an American accent barked, “Hold your positions!” All movement stopped. “If they moved the alien when the power was still down then how did they seal the outer door?” There were a few slow footfalls as one person moved towards the outer door. “The locking mechanism was in place when we arrived which couldn’t be done until the power returned.”  
  
Rose fought back a grimace as a surge of anger at herself flashed in her chest. These soldiers were smarter than she considered.  
  
“Perhaps some kind of device,” the female voice suggested. “Reports have indicated that work on a sonic probe is being done in England.”  
  
“Hunter, Flank and Pilot check the corridors around the area for escape routes, especially one they could have taken with a gurney. The rest of you start checking the other rooms.”  
  
Rose shuddered but kept herself from making any noises. As three of the people left the room, Rose considered peering through the window to see how many were left.  
  
“Sir,” a new female voice with an accent Rose couldn’t place said, “these are medical quarantine labs, they lock from the outside.”  
  
“Check anyway,” the leader ordered.   
  
The doorknob next to Rose rattled as the lock was tested. Mind racing, Rose tried to think of what to do next. Maybe she could take them down as they entered the room, but given the sounds of a firefight that she’d heard earlier, she had no doubt that they armed. The one man attack that she’d ended at UNIT, this was not.   
  
A light came through the window again, searching the room for any sign of movement. Rose heard someone step closer to the glass and the angle of the beam of light changed. It moved along the floor, coming closer and closer. Rose tried to shrink herself into the wall, tightening her knees against her chest, but there was nothing she could do about the size of the gurney. The light stopped mere inches from the edge of the gurney, the angle just too sharp for someone outside to manage.  
  
“Looks clear,” a voice announced. “Locked and no movement inside. This one is clear.”  
  
Rose exhaled as quietly as she could manage and listened as the other labs were checked. She was so grateful in that moment that she’d taken the time to lock everything up and move Markin. By the sound of it, these people had a lot of information on what had happened and on the internal layout of Torchwood itself.  
  
“Should we pack up the bodies?” a voice asked. Rose felt Markin clench her hand but stayed quiet.  
  
“No,” the leader growled. “We need a live alien, not corpses.” There was the sound of static from some kind of radio. “Hunter report,” the leader barked.  
  
“We’ve located a shelter,” a male voice replied. “But only humans are present. They report that the alien was left in the medical quarantine.”  
  
“Take care of them and report back to me,” the leader replied.  
  
Rose flinched at the sound of gunshots through the radio and bit her lip to keep from making a sound. There were screams and more gunshots before the leader switched off his radio. A pang shot through her chest along with a flare of rage.  
  
“Open the labs,” he ordered. “Full search. That alien is still here somewhere.”  
  
Slipping her hand into her pocket, Rose tightened her grip around the mobile. Spock’s voice came through as a whisper, “The Otharans are in transmit range, but they cannot get a clear connection to you and the councillor.”  
  
There was a crash on the door as they began to break it down. Rose could hear other doors being smashed in and she wondered how long this one would last. Releasing her knees, Rose shifted her position so that she was on a knee and crouching. She took a deep breath, grateful more that the attackers had turned on the light in the main room. At least she could see what she was fighting. A nagging voice in her head screamed that taking on a group of armed people was a lot more deadly than just taking on one. The little voice also reminded Rose that she’d been sore from the injuries from that fight for more than a week.  
  
Then the door gave way, smashing back on its hinges and slamming into the wall. Rose was already moving when the man stepped through the doorway. He was wearing all black, a bulletproof utility vest and holding large gun of some kind with both hands. Across his face was some kind of goggles that looked more complicated than the night vision ones Rose had seen in the past. The man scanned the far side of the room and was beginning to turn towards Rose when she kicked his knee, forcing him off balance. He stumbled and Rose leveraged herself up to knock the weapon from his hands. Slamming her elbow into the side of his face, she felt and heard the goggles crunch against his skin. Rose kicked as his knee again, bringing the man down to the ground. His initial surprise was wearing off and he raised his arm to defend himself, but Rose was able to bring her elbow down against his neck. He fell forward and Rose jerked forward to grab the firearm as she heard the others rushing towards them.   
  
Shoving herself against the wall, Rose positioned the weapon in her hands. It was heavy and uncomfortable and Rose hoped that she wouldn’t have to fire it. Regret coloured with some shame churned in her gut as she considered her position. She should have called UNIT or the Doctor instead of trying to do this alone. What was the phrase about pride and the fall?   
  
Suddenly there were gunshots so close that they sounded like small explosions. It took a moment for Rose to realise that the sound had also included bullets hitting the glass. She sighed in relief and trained the stolen firearm on the doorway. Apparently, Torchwood had invested in bullet-proof glass, but terrible doors. Figures.  
  
There was quiet outside in the main room until Rose heard several sets of footsteps moving towards the door. She couldn’t see anyone yet. Bracing herself, Rose squeezed the trigger of the gun and several quick shots were released. Her ears were ringing and she could see the large holes that had been ripped into the door. Rose could barely feel her shoulder but forced herself to stay steady. Yet it had done the trick and the ones outside weren’t moving any closer. After another moment Rose actually could make out them moving in the other direction. There was a low sound of voices, but it was too quiet for her to make out.  
  
“Rose,” Spock’s voice suddenly shouted through the phone. “Get down and close your eyes.”  
  
Rose obeyed and slammed her eyes shut. Her eyelids brightened as the light level in the area suddenly shot up.  
  
“They are here,” she heard Markin breathe with relief.   
  
The light dimmed and Rose opened her eyes. Outside in the main room, there were sudden shouts of alarm and Rose flinched as more shots were fired. Quickly she put down the gun and covered her ears. The shots continued and then a strange high pitched whining noise erupted in the main room. Then there were four heavy thuds.  
  
“It’s alright,” Markin told Rose a moment later. “Clasp your hands above your head and stand up so they can see you.”  
  
Rose nodded her understanding and raised her hands above her head, threading her fingers together. Slowly she stood up, her knees protesting the action after being crouched and then fighting. She glanced down at the soldier she’d taken down who was starting to stir but stood to her full height. Placing her foot on the gun, Rose shifted it and herself to the open doorway.  
  
In the main room were three robots, all seemingly unarmed. Each them stood six feet tall with humanoid forms that were very thin. They bodies were formed out of some kind of shining white metal with joints and connecting sections being made of a dark blue material. The faces were similar to Markin’s with glowing eyes. Rose found them strangely beautiful.  
  
“Hello,” Rose greeted tentatively, happy when none of them moved to attack her. “Markin is in here, he’s injured.”  
  
One of the robots took a few steps towards Rose and she forced herself to stay still. Then the man behind her groaned and Rose spun to look at him, almost slipping on the gun beneath her left foot. He climbed to his knees and wretched the goggles off his face, settling his eyes on Rose. The side of his face was bleeding with gashes from the broken goggles. He moved to lunge at Rose. The high pitched noise started again and Rose gasped as what looked like a lightning bolt hit the man in the chest. She turned her head to see the energy coming from the hand of the nearest robot. It lasted only a moment before the energy stopped the man collapsed forward.  
  
“You can understand me?” the nearest robot questioned.  
  
“Yes,” Rose replied nervously. “Can you get Markin out of here?”  
  
“No,” the robot answered stepping into the room. Its eyes found Markin and Rose could have sworn that she saw angry flash across the robot’s face. “The ship is too far to transmit living organisms at this time. We will secure this building and hold it safely until full transmit capability is established.”  
  
“Are you-” Rose was about to ask if it was a robot but thought better of it. The robot gave her a strange look and moved forward to Markin’s side.  
  
“Are you safe with this human?” the robot asked.  
  
“I am,” Markin agreed, a small smile on his alien lips. “Continue to use the stun setting as you secure the building. There are multiple human factions involved and I would have them sort it out later.”  
  
“Understood,” the robot replied before moving away from Markin and back out into the main room. It looked at one of its fellows. “Remain here to guard the Councillor and the human. We will secure the building.” The second robot nodded its understanding and Rose watched the leader and the third one stalk from the room.  
  
She recovered from her shock a moment later and carefully raised the level of the gurney that Markin was on to its normal level. He turned his head to look at the window. Huge dents had been pounded into it and spider web cracks almost completely obscured the view. Rose reached out and ran a hand over the inner layer of the glass which was still smooth.   
  
Pulling out her phone, Rose chuckled, “I’m alright Spock. The Otharans got here just in time.”  
  
“I am glad to hear that,” Spock told her with a hint of relief in his voice. “Any further instructions?”  
  
“Contact UNIT,” Rose ordered. “Inform them of the situation and advise them to create a perimeter around Torchwood, but not to enter. The Otharans are securing the building.”  
  
“I confess that I alerted UNIT fifteen minutes ago,” Spock informed sounding pleased with himself. “I was only anticipating your orders of course,” he added a second later.  
  
Rose smiled and chuckled. “Yeah, that was a good move. Thanks, Spock.” Slipping her phone back into her pocket, Rose glanced out at the final robot which was watching the doorway with a determined expression. “Are they really robots?” Rose asked Markin as she moved the gurney away from the window carefully.  
  
“We use the term automatons,” Markin explained. “The bodies you see are highly advanced mechanical devices that are being controlled remotely by three of my people.”  
  
“Controlled how?” Rose questioned. “They seem to be showing emotion.”  
  
“They are essentially downloaded into the robotic bodies for a short time,” Markin told her. “They can hold control this way for a short span of time. This means that the robotic bodies reflect the facial expressions of their controllers. We use them for dangerous military work.”  
  
“Why are they taller than you?” Rose asked with a quizzical expression. “They look different.”  
  
“We had no desire to create something too similar to ourselves,” Markin informed her. “The point was that a being would always be able to tell the article from a real Otharan.” Markin glanced over at the Otharan that was guarding the area. “Besides a little extra height and strength can be very important.”  
  
Then he flinched as she moved. Rose’s curiosity vanished in an instant and she started to reach for Markin before aborting the movement. “Can I help you in any way?” Rose asked him softly.  
  
“I fear that I know little of your medicine,” Markin informed her. “I could not be sure what would help or harm me.” At the look on her face, he reassured her. “I am fine Rose, it is uncomfortable, but not life-threatening.”  
  
“There was damage to your skull,” Rose argued.  
  
Markin chuckled, “And while that does concern me a little, I think it would be worse to have you try and help with that.” He smiled at her and seemed amused by the expression on her face. “We will not have to wait long. The transmit range should be upon us in only a few more minutes.”  
  
“So just wait?” Rose asked with a sigh. She glanced towards the robot who was guarding the door. “Not my best skill, but okay.”  
  
“Tell me about this world,” Markin said as he looked up at her. “I caught a glimpse of it during the crash. It looks very beautiful.”  
  
“It is,” Rose said with a smile. “And it’s very diverse. We’ve got millions of species on Earth, but we’re finding more every day. Humans are the most scientifically advanced species and we live almost everywhere.” Rose paused and smiled, “What I like best about humanity is how alike we are even as we form different cultures and ways of thinking. When I travel on Earth it is always amazing to me how people are alike even as they look different, talk different and celebrate different things.” Rose chuckled, “Although I’ve noticed aliens are like that a lot too.”  
  
“Have you been off of Earth?” Markin questioned.  
  
“A few times,” Rose admitted. “My … best friend is an alien and sometimes he takes me on trips to see things.”  
  
“And here I thought Earth was only a level five planet,” Markin teased. “The things you learn.”  
  
“Most of us are level five,” Rose said with a smile of her own. “Some of us just like looking at the stars a bit more.”


	40. Torchwood One: Nothing to Show For It

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Forty: Torchwood One: Nothing to Show For It  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
…………………….  
  
All sounds of battle were too far away for Rose to hear anything clearly and despite the strangeness of the mentally controlled robot guarding them, she felt safe. Markin’s pain was obvious, but their safety meant that he was able to stay still. His grip on Rose’s hand had loosened but remained a comfort to them both. He spoke to Rose in soft breathy tones of his home world Ortha which had violet skies and two suns. Markin was the Head of the Council and one of the oldest members of his species who had even served with the Shadow Proclamation for a time. In return, he asked Rose about herself and her life on Earth.  
  
Rose admitted that she was young for her species, but had discovered aliens when she was just a little girl. She told him about meeting Eve and thanked him for granting the Verlans a new planet. Unsure of what to speak of, Rose told him about Cambridge, her classes and the papers she was working on. Their hushed tones gradually grew louder and they both become more assured of their safety.  
  
“Forgive me Councillor,” robotic tones suddenly said from the doorway. “The ship is in position to transmat you to safety.” The robot turned towards Rose, “Additionally armed forces have been detected around this structure, but have yet to approach.”  
  
“That’s UNIT,” Rose explained with a smile of relief. “I work with them. They’re just making sure the situation doesn’t spill out into the civilian area.”  
  
“A wise precaution,” Markin agreed with a heavy tone of relief. “Inform the ship that I am ready for transport.”   
  
Rose was about to step back from Markin when a flash of light enveloped them both. Slamming her eyes shut, Rose found the air forced from her lungs as she was transmated. A moment later she sucked in a fresh breath of air that tasted a little different on her tongue. She vaguely remembered Spock telling her that the Orthan atmosphere had more oxygen. Opening her eyes, Rose looked around at location they had been transmatted into.  
  
They were in the middle of an oval room with pale green walls that curved to form a high domed ceiling. An open archway with slightly darker green trim was opposite to her with three figures moving towards them through it. They were the same species as Markin and wearing green robes with different white designs on their skin. One of them was carrying some kind of technical tablet and another one was inspecting the gurney. The last of them was eyeing Rose with some confusion, but a sense of calm which was more than she had.  
  
“This is Rose,” Markin informed them. “It was not yet safe for her where I was imprisoned and she protected me from harm.”  
  
“Understood,” the Orthan with the tablet remarked before he began moving the tablet over Markin’s body. A soft green light shown from a small circle that Rose hadn’t notice before on the device and a moment later it beeped. “The damage is not as severe as I feared,” he announced a moment later. “It is safe to move him into a pod.”  
  
The movement of the Orthans around her urged Rose to step away from Markin. Trying not to shift nervously, Rose stayed quiet as Markin was gently lifted off the gurney with the help of two floating orbs and moved to the side of the room. One of the Orthans pressed a spot on the wall that Rose could see faint markings on. Then a section of the wall opened and white pod folded down. It opened and Rose could see some kind of simple bed and headrest inside, but what really caught her attention were the series of circuits and what looked like lights all across the inner cover.  
  
“Our bodies respond quickly to energy pulses,” one of the Orthans explained having observed her curious examination. “When combined with special medications these energy pulses accelerate the natural healing of the body.”  
  
“Great,” Rose said as she watched the lid be lowered on the pod.   
  
Markin vanished from sight as the pod closed up and began to hum faintly.  The Orthan who had spoken with her studied the pod for a moment and nodded in satisfaction to the other two Orthans. A moment later he turned and walked over to Rose.  
  
“Markin will be healed within the hour,” he informed her with a small smile. “I am Lothar, one of his kinsman and a member of the Council.”  
  
“You’re a councilmember and a doctor?” Rose questioned as she glanced towards the pod.  
  
“By tradition certain Council seats may only be filled with experienced representatives of a profession,” Lothar told her. “Medicine is a vital part of any corporeal lifeform based society. I am one of the most senior doctors in our federation,” Lorthar explained.  
  
“That makes a lot of sense,” Rose replied with a smile, feeling more at ease.  
  
“Please,” Lothar said gesturing to the wall behind her. He walked to the wall and pressed another button that was nearly invisible to Rose. Instead of a pod, what looked like a simple medical bed extended from the wall. “Rest and allow me to verify you are not injured.”  
  
“I’m alright,” Rose assured him, but she sat down.  
  
Lothar reached for her hand and inspected the knuckles of her right hand which were raw from her fight. Turning away from Rose, he collected the tablet that she had seen him use earlier and concentrated on it for a moment.  
  
“I can easily repair this surface damage,” he told her as he looked down at her. “The entity that contacted us was kind enough to provide information on human anatomy.”  
  
“He did?” Rose asked weakly, not certain if that was a good thing or not for Spock to be giving aliens.  
  
“It was necessary so I could calibrate the robotic energy weapons,” Lothar explained patiently as if he detected her unease. “Otherwise they would have most likely killed all of the humans.” He pressed the wall button again, this time Rose was close enough to see that it was actually a few small buttons arranged in a large circle. A smaller section of the wall opened and Lothar reached inside with a graceful, practised movement.  
  
“This may sting,” Lothar told her as he withdrew a small oval shaped white device with small green buttons on one side of it.   
  
Lothar pressed three of the buttons and then held it above Rose’s hand. A small light shown from the bottom and Rose’s hand stung slightly. She didn’t see a visible change and Lothar reached back into the cupboard. This time he pulled out a small canister with some kind of lotion inside of it. Lothar gently applied to Rose’s knuckles and then pressed another series of buttons on the device. Rose watched as the lotion was rapidly absorbed into her skin as the device activated over her hand and the skin began to regrow before her eyes.  
  
“Thank you,” Rose said politely when Lothar pulled the device away from her hand. She rubbed the repaired skin gently and nodded to the alien.  
  
Drawing away from Rose, Lothar joined the others by Markin’s pod and checked the system. He smiled softly and said something to the others that Rose couldn’t quite hear. Another Otharan entered the room through the curved doorway Rose had noted earlier and then promptly ignored. Briefly, she thought that illustrated either her trust of the Orthans or her exhaustion. This new Orthan was dressed in dark blue robes of a shorter cut than Lothar and the other medics.   
  
“We have secured the building,” the new Orthan announced, glancing towards Rose, but focusing on Lothar. “And the rest of the Council had granted authority over the situation to you.” Lothar sighed but nodded his understanding. The new Orthan asked, “What are your orders, sir?”  
  
“Markin should be the decider here,” Lothar replied as he examined the pod. “We will wait until he wakes. I am loathe to wake him prematurely, but he can be withdrawn in a few minutes.” Lothar turned to Rose. “We can transmat you back to Earth whenever you are ready.”  
  
“Can you put me back with the… uh, automaton?” Rose questioned as she stood up. “That why I can verify that all the humans are unconscious and speak with the humans waiting outside.”  
  
“Very well,” Lothar agreed with a nod. “I’ll transmat you back to Captain Holar. His automaton has the device needed to start waking the humans when you are ready.”  
  
“Thank you,” Rose replied gratefully before looking toward Markin’s pod. “What will happen then?”  
  
“We will contact you once Markin is awake,” Lothar assured her. “As for what will happen then…” he trailed off. “As Markin is the one who interacted most with your species and has the most experience with the Shadow Proclamation I will leave that to him.”  
  
Nodding her understanding, Rose moved to the spot that Lothar gestured to with his hand. She didn’t have a chance to examine the spot more closely for the transmat system before the flash of light surrounded her again. It was a bit smoother this time and Rose quickly met the electric eye of one of the robots. She was back in the medical quarantine area.  
  
“Captain Holar?” Rose asked hesitantly.   
  
“No,” the robot said. “Tethin is the controller,” it replied. “Captain Holar is with the…” he hesitated at the word, but then finished, “Prisoners.”  
  
“Is it safe for me to go downstairs?” Rose questioned as she looked towards the door.  
  
“Yes, the building has been swept and all human temporarily neutralised. Follow me and I will take you to Captain Holar,” Tethin told Rose before he started walking out of the room.  
  
Rose tried to pay attention to where she was, but Torchwood was a large labyrinth of boring walls and corridors that made it hard to keep track of in her tired state. There were gruesome hints of violence here and there with blood on the walls or puddles, but no bodies. If the Orthans had gathered those up, Rose hoped they weren’t with the unconscious.  
  
They reached a large work room, the sort where a ship would usually be stored if Rose understood anything about Torchwood. Bodies were carefully lined up throughout the room and positioned as if sleeping. Stepping all the way into the room, Rose spotted Hartman amongst the rows. She recognised other scientists and in the full light was able to distinguish the Torchwood emblem on their security from the blank black tactical gear of the invaders. Looking away, Rose nodded to the robot that was walking over to greet her.  
  
“I am Captain Holar,” the robot informed her. “Councilor Lothar has urged me to speak with you about the next course of action.”  
  
“I should go downstairs and bring whoever is charge in,” Rose informed them calmly. “Uh the troops outside belong to UNIT, a global group that works with alien visitors or protects Earth from invasions,” Rose explained quickly. “I asked them to contain the violence, but they are involved now.”  
  
“Very well,” Holar agreed with a nod. “Tethin will escort you.”  
  
Rose found herself being taken down to the lobby by a robot and very slowly opened the door. UNIT vehicles were parked around the building, even on the grass which wouldn’t make Hartman happy and had their weapons trained on the doorway. Raising her hands, Rose stepped outside and waited impatiently for the commander to step forward. To her relief, Benton had come himself and quickly came up the steps with two soldiers.  
  
“Tyler,” Benton called with obvious relief. “Are you alright?”  
  
“I’m fine,” Rose assured him with a forced smile. “But you’d better come inside. I could use some additional help sorting this out.”  
  
“It didn’t sound good when Spock called,” Benton observed as he followed her towards the door.  
  
“It’s not,” Rose agreed with a weak chuckle. “But I’m afraid that step one looks like waking up Hartman.”  
  
“Oh… joy,” Benton grumbled which made Rose smile.  
  
They returned upstairs in the lift and Rose quickly explained things to Benton in a low voice as her adrenaline began to start wearing thin. The brigadier general placed a warm and heavy hand on her shoulder which grounded Rose in the present as the lift doors opened. Tethin stepped out first and Benton observed the fluid movements with a smile.  
  
“Remote controlled soldiers,” he said with an impressed voice. “I’d like a few of those.”  
  
“I wouldn’t hold your breath,” Rose told him as they began making their way down the corridor.  
  
When they returned to the holding room Markin was waiting for them. He looked tired and was sitting in a white chair that must have been transmatted down with him. Gone was the hospital gown and he was now wearing a red robe with an elegant design on the right chest area. Smiling at Rose, he nodded in greeting and then turned his attention to Benton.  
  
“Markin this is Brigadier General John Benton of the Unified Intelligence Taskforce. He oversees operations in the United Kingdom, this section of Earth, for a global council that relate to alien visitors,” Rose explained quickly. “Benton this is Councilor Markin, a member of the Orthan Council.”  
  
“Please explain to me who the humans who took me and my ship were,” Markin said, his eyes fixed on Benton who Rose realised seemed to be able to understand him.  
  
“They are known as Torchwood,” Benton told Markin respectfully. “While the United Kingdom allows UNIT some authority they also have Torchwood which serves the interests of this country first and foremost.”  
  
“A rather primitive arrangement,” Markin remarked with a frown. “I’m afraid that their actions may cause trouble for your world with the Shadow Proclamation.” Benton’s entire body tensed which Markin noticed. “You know of the Shadow Proclamation?”   
  
“Yes,” Benton answered tensely, somehow straightening up even further. “We had a criminal hide on Earth a while back and the Judoon came to Earth. They attempted to execute Miss Tyler at the time.”  
  
“I see,” Markin replied looking uncomfortable. “I can understand your reaction then. If the Juddon were granted powers on Earth then I suspect it was not a pleasant event. They can be….” Markin shook his head. “That is outside of what must be discussed.”  
  
“Will Earth suffer for this?” Rose asked urgently. “Will it threaten our protected status?”   
  
“I hope not,” Markin told her gently, looking very worried, but also determined. “Who is the leader of Torchwood? I must speak with them.”  
  
Rose walked over to Hartman and pointed her out. A moment later Captain Holar joined her and raised his hand over her. Another pulse of energy hit Hartman and her eyes opened as she gasped. Rose stepped forward to calm her rather than have Hartman put all of her attention on the robot.  
  
“What- Tyler?”  
  
“Calm down,” Rose said as gently as she could stomach. “Councilor Markin needs to speak with you.”  
  
Hartman’s eyes landed on the man unconscious next to her and she turned accusing eyes to Rose.  
  
“They are merely unconscious,” Markin explained from behind Rose. “They will wake soon unless we force them to wake.”  
  
The voice spurred Hartman on. She climbed to her feet and straightened herself out as casually as she could while her eyes swept the room, lingering on Benton and Markin.  
  
“Well, I am pleased to see that you are awake,’ Hartman greeted Markin with a charming smile. “I’m glad that our doctors were able to assist you.”  
  
“Spare me,” Markin countered with a sharp tone. “Your actions today have endangered your planet’s Level 5 status under the Shadow Proclamation.” Markin sighed and took a breath, “If the Shadow Proclamation chooses to use this display of knowledge about aliens and aggression to change your planet’s status then Earth will no longer be protected from galactic invasions.”  
  
Benton snorted lightly and Rose figured he was thinking of all the invasions that he’d seen over the years.   
  
“You crashed in our territory,” Hartman announced imperiously raising her chin. “We have a right to defend ourselves.”  
  
“And according to the men who have already recovered my crew’s bodies and my ship you immediately started dissecting what you found.” Markin glanced at Rose. “In a strange way, I owe my life to those who attacked you.”  
  
“We weren’t seeking to harm you,” Hartman insisted. “We just had to make sure that you were not a threat to our planet.”  
  
“Then I urge you in the future to be more cautious in your approach,” Markin said calmly, not looking convinced. “As Rose assisted me and protected me from the intruders I am inclined to spare humanity the potential damage this incident could do.”  
  
“What does that mean exactly?” Benton asked Markin respectfully.  
  
“It means that while a report of this incident must be submitted I will be sure to make it clear that while two small organisations on Earth where warring for alien technology and prisoners, that another organisation was containing the situation and one of their agents was actively protecting me.” Markin smiled slightly at Rose. “That report will reinforce that you are too primitive to be viewed as either peaceful or a galactic threat.”   
  
“Thank you, Markin,” Rose offered with a sigh of relief.  
  
Markin nodded to Rose and looked back at Hartman. “The bodies of my crew have been returned to the Battle Cruiser as has the wreckage.” Markin pointed to a doorway at the far side of the room. “Your dead are in there. I hope you approach future events with more caution.” Markin nodded to Benton and then looked at Rose, smiling slightly. “Once again Rose, I thank you.”  
  
“You’re welcome,” Rose told him sincerely before a transmat beam flashed and Markin and the three robots vanished.   
  
Benton looked around at the assembled people and then at Hartman who was gritting her teeth and clutching her fists so tightly Rose could believe she might draw blood. “Markin said they’ll start waking soon so I suggest that we get those who aren’t your people secured as quickly as possible.”  
  
“I don’t want your help!” Hartman snapped.  
  
“Maybe not,” Benton countered in a dark tone. “But right now you need it unless you want to add to the current body count.”  
  
Glaring at him, Hartman slowly nodded and gestured for the two UNIT soldiers to follow her. Rose moved over to Benton and watched as Hartman pointed out all the people present who weren’t with Torchwood. In the end, there were twelve of them who were stripped of their weapons and tied up. With Hartman’s permission, Benton called in more soldiers who helped stand guard as one by one the assembled humans began to wake.   
  
The prisoners said nothing as they woke and didn’t react at all to their weapons being gone. Hartman stalked over and glared down at the prisoners who were on their knees in front of her. Torchwood soldiers had replaced Benton’s men and Rose thought they looked much more ready to open fire.  
  
“What is Black Sun?” Hartman asked them. “We found that name a few years ago, but nothing else. Who do you work for?”  
  
One of the men lifted his chin and chuckled at Hartman. “Black Sun…” he said softly and Rose tensed as she recognised the voice of the leader. He was an ordinary looking man with a small scar across his cheek, but no someone Rose would have taken for a murderer on the street. “Well… I’d hate to spoil the surprise.”  
  
Then each of the twelve mysterious soldiers shuddered and fell forward. Hartman gaped at them for only a second before lunging forward and checking the pulse of the nearest one. A medic ran over and became to check the others.  
  
“They’re dead,” the medic announced quietly. He opened the mouth of the women he had been checked and frowned. “Almonds… cyanide.” He pulled out a torch and shined it into the mouth. “Oh my god, a false tooth in the back of the mouth… I thought those only existed in spy stories.”  
  
“Damnation,” Hartman snapped as she climbed to her feet. “I have a pile of corpses from both my people and theirs, a wiped computer system and nothing to show for it!”  
  
“The question is who are these people?” Benton remarked with a frown. “If it is the same group that hit us they must have had a lot more resources in place to come after you since the job against us was only one person.”  
  
“The question on my mind is who is could send twelve soldiers who slice through fellow humans and then all use cyanide capsules without fail,” Rose added softly as she tried to contain a small shudder. “Out of twelve… they all killed themselves.”  
  
Hartman’s expression fell slightly and her eyes took on a hardness that Rose hadn’t seen before. The Torchwood director turned to see a gurney with a body bag being rolled past from the body room. No one said anything for a long time and then Hartman nodded.  
  
“Just tell the Orthans to get away from here,” Hartman said in a low and cold tone to Rose. “Enough have died today and we’ve lost years of work to the Bad Wolf virus. We’ll have start from scratch on a vital project.”  
  
“Would you have preferred they get everything?” Rose asked before she thought better of it.  
  
Hartman glanced at Benton who had tensed and was holding his hand close to his holster. “No,” Hartman finally answered. “And I’m glad to hear that the hostile system was infected as well.” Hartman took a step towards Rose, ignoring Benton’s movements to stop her. “Tyler, never interfere in my business again.”  
  
“If I hadn’t interfered everyone here would have been killed by the Orthans and Black Sun would have gained all of your information,” Rose growled in return before forcing herself to take a breath. “Black Sun should prove that it isn’t just about you. I warned you and offered you a chance to elevate Torchwood, but you didn’t listen and now you live because I asked for them to spare you. Wake up.”  
  
They glared at each other until Benton cleared his throat and put a hand on Rose’s shoulder. Stepping back from Rose, Hartman gave them a forced smile. “Well, I have a great deal to do so please excuse me.” Hartman turned on her heel and stalked to the nearest door, but then stopped. She turned back to Rose and for a moment Rose thought she was going to say something more. However, Hartman seemed to change her mind and vanished out the doorway.  
  
“Come on,” Benton urged her. “Let’s get out of here.”  
  
Rose nodded in agreement and was aware of Benton holding her arm as he guided her to the doorway. One of Torchwood’s surviving security men nodded to them and led them to the lift. Feeling his eyes on her, Rose forced a small smile for Benton as they reached the lobby. UNIT troops were lined up in the lobby waiting for them. They walked out the front door and Rose took in a deep breath. Behind the buildings the sun was beginning to rise, casting a soft glow over Rose’s face.  
  
Benton looked down at his watch and then at Rose. “Please tell me you’re not going back to Cambridge right now.”  
  
“No,” Rose assured him. “I’ll crash at Sharon and Shareen’s.”  
  
“Not your mother’s?” Benton asked as his expression softened.  
  
“Definitely not,” Rose sighed. “She’ll know I was here for aliens and…” Rose trailed off and shrugged. “Things are still weird.”  
  
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Benton told her. “Do you have a key to your friends’ flat?”  
  
“Yeah,” Rose chuckled with a nod. “They’ve got a key to mine too, well Shareen does. I ran out of spare keys before I gave one to Sharon.”  
  
“Who else has one?” Benton asked as he started moving down the stairs to walk her to her vehicle.   
  
“Uh, the Chestertons, my Mum and Shareen,” Rose answered with a confused glance at Benton.  
  
“Not the Doctor?” Benton asked with a small smile.  
  
“Why would he?” Rose countered, trying not to blush since her significant other did have a key. “Sonic screwdriver and TARDIS remember. He goes where he likes.”  
  
“Alright,” Benton said with a chuckle. “I’ll stop fishing.” He glanced around and then called out, “Private Smith.”  
  
Rose turned and grinned as Mickey came forward from the large group of waiting men. He glanced at Rose and gave her a quick smile before saluting Benton.  
  
“Yes, sir?” Mickey asked.  
  
“As you can see Miss Tyler is in one piece,” Benton told him with a soft teasing tone while still managing to look like a Brigadier General. “I’m assigning you to take her where she needs to go.”  
  
“I’m fine to drive across town,” Rose protested. “Like I said, I’m just going to stay with friends and get some sleep before heading back to Cambridge.”  
  
“Humour me,” Benton told Rose before looking back at Smith. “Go to it.”  
  
Mickey nodded and stepped closer to Rose. He glanced at Benton who chuckled and nodded. The next moment Rose was pulled into a tight hug which put pressure on her shoulder. But she didn’t care and wrapped her arms around Mickey, savouring the safety of the moment.  
  
“Keys?” Mickey asked a moment later, holding out his hand.  
  
Rose sighed but didn’t argue further. Pulling out her keys, she set them in Mickey’s hand. She led the way to her SUV, barely aware that Benton had followed them until Mickey had unlocked the passenger side.  
  
“Good luck on exams,” Benton told her as she climbed into the SUV.  
  
“Thank you,” Rose said with a smile. “Take care of yourself, Benton.”  
  
“Stay out of trouble,” Benton told Rose as Mickey climbed into the driver’s side and started the vehicle.   
  
Rose grinned at him. “I make no promises,” she replied before closing her door and letting Mickey pull away from the curb.


	41. Section 13: Good Morning

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Forty-One: Section 13: Good Morning  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
……………………………  
  
Rose Tyler groaned as the mobile next to her head on the night table rang. Opening her eyes, she quickly considered the phone and mentally verified that she hadn’t set any kind of alarm. Groaning again, she stretched out towards it only to have an arm wrap around her waist and pull her into the middle of the bed and away from the phone.   
  
“Leave it,” the Doctor grumbled into Rose’s shoulder as he tightened his arm around her waist. His lips brushed against the skin of her neck as he spoke. “It’s only six in the morning on a Saturday. Who calls at this time of day?”  
  
“It might be important,” Rose argued as she made a valiant effort to reach for the phone, but her significant other wasn’t making it easy. It was easy to forget how strong he really was and teamed with his stubbornness all she was managing was a bit of wiggling.  
  
“I forbid it,” the Doctor muttered and Rose snorted as a response to that insane statement. “Rose,” he called before kissing her shoulder. “You just finished finals and will be back in London next week. That means being back where Jackie lives and that means that I will not be coming by to spend the night.”  
  
The mobile had stopped ringing and Rose did have to admit that the Time Lord had a good point. In fact, there had been a major temptation not to return to London and her mother since Jackie was still not happy about the whole alien thing. But she wanted to see the Chesterton-Smiths and her friends. Plus it felt cowardly to hide from her own mother.   
  
The Doctor pulled her back again and this time Rose allowed herself to settle back into the bed. A soft kiss on the cheek was her reward and Rose turned her head to catch the Time Lord’s lips in a proper kiss. Her fingers managed to find their way into his wild brown hair, as usual, Rose really wasn’t sure how that always happened. When he pulled away from her, the Doctor studied Rose’s face with a small smile a few moments.  
  
“Are you going to sleep more?” Rose asked, knowing he didn’t need much sleep compared to her.  
  
“Yes,” the Doctor answered as he lay back. He pulled Rose closer so she was curled up against his side. “After that trouble, Donna and I have on Logite IV a lazy day sounds good.”  
  
Rose snuggled up against him, letting his draw comfort from her. As casual as he made it sound she knew that Logite IV had been bad. Donna had asked to be dropped off for at least a week to spend time with her grandfather and the Doctor had certainly not been in the cuddling mood he was now when he’d turned up last night. Rose was grateful that even if she wasn’t actively travelling with him she could still be a friend and a comfort to him. And after being a comforting friend…. Well… Rose smiled and let her eyes slide shut to get some more sleep since they really hadn’t gotten much the night before. She felt more than heard the Doctor’s breathing even out and could feel her body sinking into the softness of her bed.  
  
Then the phone rang again and she thought the Doctor might have actually growled. Before he could stop her, Rose rolled and snatched the mobile so she could check the caller id.   
  
“It’s UNIT,” she announced and gave him an apologetic smile. “Sorry.” The Doctor sighed but didn’t protest as Rose adjusted the sheet across her chest and sat up in bed. Putting the phone to her ear, she tried to sound as alert and awake as possible as she said, “This is Tyler.”  
  
“Sorry to call so early,” Benton said on the other end of the line, he didn’t sound much more awake than Rose. “But UNIT has received a top priority request for your help from the United State of America’s Section 13.” Despite sounding tired, Benton sounded excited and eager so Rose figured it was very important.  
  
“Section 13?” Rose repeated, testing if the name sounded familiar. It didn’t to her, but the Doctor raised himself up on his elbows, looking much more interested. Rose looked over at him, but he just gave her a little smile before settling back on the bed.  
  
“They are the U.S.’s national alien investigation organisation,” Benton explained around a yawn.   
  
“Oh,” Rose replied thickly, thinking of Torchwood.   
  
“They have a good reputation, but don’t interact much with UNIT,” Benton assured her as if sensing the direction of Rose’s thoughts. “However, a few hours ago a request came in from their Director, Doctor Samantha Matthews, for us to lend you to them for a week as part of a joint investigation.”  
  
“They requested me?” Rose asked with a hint of confusion. “Me specifically?”   
  
“They aren’t UNIT, but you have started to gain a reputation. Despite our efforts to keep the incident at Torchwood quiet many of the organisations around the globe are aware of it. The Orthans came close enough to Earth that almost everyone detected them and tried to open contact.”  
  
“Hartman can’t be happy about that,” Rose observed as she fought down a pleased smile.  
  
“Just because Hartman doesn’t play nice doesn’t mean all of the other kids in the sandbox are fighting,” Benton informed her and Rose could see him shrugging in her mind. “Anyway I’m sorry for the short notice, but I know you’re done with finals and this is really important. UNIT US has been trying to build stronger ties with Section 13 for the last few years. Them inviting you to their facility is a major step forward.”  
  
“Do we know what the investigation is?” Rose questioned curiously.  
  
“I don’t have those details,” Benton admitted. “A member of UNIT US will meet up with you in New York and fly to Section 13 with you on a private plane. You’ll be given the full briefing then.”  
  
“Okay,” Rose said, holding back a yawn of her own. “I assume since you’re calling so early that I’m leaving soon.”  
  
“You’re going commercial across the ocean,” Benton told her and Rose groaned. “You have a first class seat so no whining, but you have to be at the airport by noon so a car will collect you at 11. I wanted to give you time to pack and make any alerts you need to take care of.”  
  
“Alright,” Rose grumbled as she rolled her neck. “I guess I’ll officially accept this offer since I’ll remind you I don’t actually have to accept.”  
  
Behind Rose, the Doctor snorted and laughed. On the other end of the line, Rose heard Benton make a small noise of surprise, but he said nothing. Rose really hoped he hadn’t heard the Doctor, but she had the feeling that he both had heard the Doctor and suspected who it was.  
  
“I’ve assigned Private Jenkins to pick you up,” Benton said, sounding a little hesitate. “I’m sorry if this disrupts any plans you had for today.”  
  
“It’s fine,” Rose assured him quickly, feeling a blush working its way up her cheeks. “I’ll speak with you later.”  
  
The call ended and Rose set the phone back on the side table. Reaching over, Rose snatched up her pillow. Then she hit the still chuckling Doctor with it. He laughed harder and reached for Rose, pulling her back down next to him.   
  
“Poor John,” the Doctor chuckled before he kissed Rose soundly.  
  
“I have to pack,” Rose gasped when she pulled away. “My car will be here at 11.”  
  
“Plenty of time,” the Doctor promised her, stealing a quick kiss. “I’ll even make breakfast while you pack.”  
  
Rose looked at him with a small smile. “Well in that case,” she murmured happily, “I suppose I could stay in bed another hour or two.”  
  
“That’s better,” the Doctor breathed, tangling his fingers in her long hair and pulling her in for another kiss.  
  
Two and half hours later Rose had a rolling suitcase open on her bed and was doing to best to determine what to take. Benton hadn’t said where in the U.S. the Section 13 base was so she had no real way to packing for the weather and she was aware of how massive the country really was. In the end, she settled on a range of clothing that she thought would work in the summer and one more professional outfit, not that she had any plans to wear it. As Benton had pointed out she already had a reputation and one that she’d built in blue jeans, t-shirts and boots. Except for that one time in the school uniform, but Rose had bad memories of crawling through mud in a skirt.  
  
She packed her laptop in her usual messenger bag and stuffed her shoulder bag inside. The sonic pen was stashed in a pen carrier at the front of the bag where it wouldn’t stand out and her translator was sadly tucked into her suitcase. Rose had no interest to find out if that would make it through security and no desire to have to call Benton that Heathrow security had confiscated a piece of alien technology. Taking a moment, Rose glanced around the small bedroom and tried to think if she was forgetting anything.   
  
“Rose,” the Doctor called from the kitchen.   
  
Smiling, Rose zipped up the suitcase and set it in the corridor to grab later. The TARDIS was parked in its usual spot in her apartment, just off the sitting area, but partially blocking access to the kitchen. Rose ran her fingers over the blue wood fondly as she moved around her to enter the kitchen. Quickly, Rose set the table for the two of them and helped the Doctor dish up their plates with the bacon, toast and eggs that he’d made.   
  
Once they were both seated, Rose asked, “What do you know about Section 13?”  
  
“Ran into them not long ago,” the Doctor confessed with a smile. “Mind you, they weren’t the nicest lot back then, but it was 1958 and the U.S. was still in the Cold War.” He shrugged. “I’ve kept a bit of an eye on them. In the late 1990s, they switched from pure military to a civilian-military board, sort of a mix of UNIT and Torchwood.” The Doctor grinned at her, “You should have fun.”  
  
“I’m sorry to run out on you like this,” Rose apologised.  
  
The Doctor laughed, “Rose it is more amusing than anything else. People are always saying that I’m the one running off.”  
  
“Usually you are,” Rose retorted.  
  
“Tell you what,” the Doctor offered with a smile, “When you get back you and I go somewhere for a week, just the two of us. I’ll drop you off just after we left and you can go back to Jackie.”  
  
“Deal,” Rose agreed with a beaming smile. “So while I’m working on this what will you do?”  
  
“Do?” The Doctor blinked at the question. “I’m just going to jump ahead in the TARDIS to when you get back.”  
  
Rose rolled her eyes but didn’t stop smiling. While he ate using his left hand, the Doctor held out his right hand to Rose and smiled gratefully when she took it. She was just grateful that he’d remembered to let her keep her right hand. She wasn’t nearly as ambidextrous as he was.


	42. Section 13: Discovery Base

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Forty-Two: Section 13: Discovery Base  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
………………….  
  
There were benefits to flying on United Nations business. Private Ross Jenkins parked right in front of the terminal and escorted Rose past security to the gate meaning she didn’t even have to be concerned about what x-rays thought of the sonic pen or translator. Her first class seat was comfortable and one of those newer types that stretched out into a bed meaning Rose took a two hour nap once they were in the air to take the edge off. Then she used the personal telly that came with her seat to amuse herself the last few hours. Having no school work hanging over her head was a strange experience. They landed in New York City just after 15:30, but to Rose it felt much later in the day.  
  
Departing the plane, Rose slung her messenger over her shoulder and pulled her rolling bag behind her. It only took her a moment to see a man in a UNIT Lt. Colonel’s uniform standing off to the side. He was white, tall and in his early forties with grey peppering his dark brown hair with his hat tucked snugly under his right arm. He wasn’t holding a sign like many of the others, but he caught her eye and nodded in greeting. Nodding in return, Rose manoeuvred her way through the throng of people to him as he moved away from the exit point. They met up in a quieter corner and he gave Rose a quick salute.  
  
“Welcome back to New York City Miss Tyler,” he greeted. “I am Lt. Colonel Reeves,” he informed her as he pulled out his UNIT identification card and a copy of his orders to escort her to Section 13 which he then folded back up and put away.  
  
“Just call me Rose,” she replied.  
  
“Our private plane will depart in forty minutes,” Lt. Colonel Reeves informed her. “Can I assist you with your bags?”  
  
“No thanks,” Rose told him with a smile. “I’m good.”   
  
“This way then if you please,” he said as he turned and gestured for Rose to follow him.  
  
Rose’s brief previous experiences in JFK had not provided her with a good mental map of the place beyond the basics, but Lt. Colonel Reeves seemed to know exactly where he was going. The only detour Rose insisted on was a stop at the food court so she could grab a slice of New York pizza and a fresh bottle of water. Within ten minutes they had crossed the whole of JFK using a series of side passages that Rose hadn’t known were there. The moment they stepped outside onto the taxiway, Reeves placed his hat back on his head and led her towards a smaller aircraft waiting with a set of stairs. It was an unmarked and looked rather new to Rose’s eyes with a few technicians checking it over. A man in a uniform that Rose was not familiar with was waiting at the bottom of the stairs. This man was shorter than Reeves, but had a stronger build and was African descent   
  
Lt. Colonel Reeves stopped and saluted the man who returned the salute and nodded in greeting. “Good to see you again Lt. Colonel Reeves,” the man greeted before turning his attention to Rose. “And you must be the famous Rose Tyler. It is a pleasure to welcome you to the United States. I am Colonel Peterson of the United States Air Force.” He extended his hand to Rose and she shook it with a smile. “Please come aboard, we aren’t cleared for takeoff for a bit longer, but there is no reason not to be comfortable.”  
  
Rose decided that she liked Peterson, military or not. He had a friendly manner to him that was a sharp contrast to Reeves’ cold professionalism. She followed him up and into the plane and grinned as she stepped inside. It wasn’t the fanciest in the world, she was certain of that, but the seats were large and comfortable looking. Two seats faced each other on either side of the plane with a large table positioned between each pair of them. Behind the usual seating was a long sofa that filled part of the back of the plane opposite what looked like a dining area.  
  
“Nice,” Rose observed with a smile. “How long will it take us to reach… where ever we’re going.”  
  
“Five hours,” Peterson answered. “Southern Nevada.” He reached down and took Rose’s bag, lifting it into the storage compartment. “I’m afraid that we have to wait for takeoff to talk about details,” he apologised. “Please take a seat and enjoy your pizza.” Rose smiled and sat in one of the tan chairs which was wonderfully soft and comfortable. The table was the perfect distance from her to eat her pizza. Peterson turned his attention to Reeves. “You can report that you safely delivered her,” Peterson informed him.  
  
“I’d prefer to remain until you ready for takeoff,” Reeves replied. “My superiors are not entirely pleased with this arrangement.”  
  
“That does not surprise me,” Peterson replied, not sounding surprised at all. “But Miss Tyler was the agreed UNIT representative for this operation.” Peterson gestured to the seat across the aisle from Rose, “But please have a seat. I’ll check with the pilot.”  
  
Peterson vanished through the cockpit door and Reeves shook his head. Rose glanced over at him and set down her pizza. “Does UNIT have reason to be worried?”  
  
Reeves looked startled at the question and then shook his head. “No,” he answered quickly. “It’s not that, you are perfectly safe with Peterson and Section 13. It is just that… I have been the UNIT representative working to improve relations for several years and I have never been granted access to Area 51.”  
  
“Area 51?” Rose asked.  
  
Reeves once again looked surprised and nodded. “Southern Nevada,” he told her. “I have no doubt that is where they are taking you.”  
  
“Uh okay,” Rose said slowly. “Why did they pick me? Any ideas?”  
  
“Doctor Samantha Matthews is a civilian,” Reeves informed her. “I suppose she is more comfortable dealing with another civilian and someone who has worked on problems in other countries. Due to your consultant status, you work with a wider range of people than most other civilian employees of UNIT do.”  
  
“I guess so,” Rose agreed before turning her attention back to her pizza.   
  
She wasn’t that hungry, but it was New York pizza and Ace would disown her as a friend if Rose didn’t take the opportunity to enjoy the pizza. While she finished the slice of pizza, Peterson returned and reported that they’d be taxing to the runway in just a few minutes. Reeves said his goodbyes to them both and left the plane without another word.   
  
Peterson sat down across from Rose and buckled up. Taking a moment, Rose tossed away the wrapper for the pizza and tucked her messenger bag at her feet before she buckled up. The Colonel set his Air Force hat down on the table and pulled some filed out of a briefcase that Rose hadn’t noticed tucked away. The file remained closed in front of him and Peterson sat perfectly calm as the plane started to move onto the runway. Seeing that Peterson really wasn’t going to talk until they were in the air about Section 13, Rose decided to start a different conversation.  
  
“Where in the US are you from?” Rose asked Peterson politely.  
  
“I’m from Los Angeles originally,” Peterson answered with a smile. “My family and I live Las Vegas now.”  
  
“How about our family?” Rose questioned. “Any kids?”  
  
“My wife Janet and I have three kids,” Peterson told her. “Rachael is the eldest, she’s about your age actually. Of course, she isn’t involved with this sort of thing.”  
  
“What does she do?” Rose asked.  
  
“She going to school to be a veterinarian,” Peterson replied. “Our second Robert is at the Air Force Academy, just like I was at his age and our youngest Richard is a senior in high school.”  
  
“Sounds nice,’ Rose said wistfully. “I was an only child. I would have loved some siblings.”  
  
“My three wouldn’t always agree with that,” Peterson observed before he reached into his pocket. He withdrew a package of chewing gun and held it out to Rose. Smiling, Rose plucked a piece from the package and quickly became to chew it. Peterson did the same before slipping the gum back into his pocket.  
  
The plane’s speed increased and Rose turned to look out the window as they moved up the runway. Takeoff was smooth and Rose was grateful for the gun as the plane seemed to be ascending faster than she was used to. Her eyes popped as she chewed the gun, but she was able to keep it under control until they evened out. The plane moved in a gentle curve to turn away from New York City.   
  
“So,” Rose questioned. “I’m guessing we’d heading towards Vegas?”  
  
“What gave that away? Me or Reeves?”  
  
“Reeves may have mentioned Area 51,” Rose admitted.  
  
“I figured,” Peterson replied with a chuckle. “I’m something of his Section 13 counterpart,” he informed her. “I work on building Section 13 contacts with private industry and other organisations as well as helping to find answers for the public to strange things that happen.”  
  
“Sounds… interesting,” Rose said, unsure of how else to describe it.  
  
“Most days it is, but Reeves has got it a bit off. We’re not actually going to Area 51, we’re heading to the modern facility which is operated by Section 13 which is nearby.” Peterson opened the file in front of him and passed it over to Rose. “Section 13 has a long history as it was originally connected to Area 51 to study alien wreckage as the scientific division of operations at Dreamland. In the old days, the base was operated officially by the US air Force, but a special CIA task force ran most of the actual work with alien technology. Area 51 existed as a part of the Air Force and CIA program at Area 51 through the Cold War. Operations came more under the control of the US Air Force in the 1980s after several problems under CIA leadership caused issues with alien governments. In 1997 a decision was made to alter Section 13 when a new research centre was built underground near the old Area 51 site. Section 13 was… emancipated from the CIA and a civilian scientist board was put in control of operations in partnership with the United States Air Force. The current Director is Doctor Samantha Matthews, a civilian with PhDs in astrophysics and quantum mechanics.”  
  
“Impressive,” Rose said, meaning the word. “Can you tell me about her?”  
  
“She’s a good woman,” Peterson offered, catching Rose’s nervousness. “Her father was military so she has a strong sense of how to keep order and work with the Air Force on equal footing. Doctor Matthews is good with people and done a lot of work in trying to build better international ties and correct some of the problems of the old regime.”  
  
“Sounds good,” Rose replied as she looked down at the file for the first time. The first page has a map of the area on it, indicating the old Area 51 base and the new underground base which was labelled Discovery Base. The second page had a photo of a woman in her mid-forties of at least partial Hispanic origin with her black hair pulled half back and wearing a suit. Glancing at the very brief summary, Rose discovered that this was Doctor Samantha Matthews.   
  
Turning the page again, Rose found a report that was clearly the reason she was being called. A town named Rachel, Nevada close to the base was seeing several off medical conditions emerge recently. So far the conditions were being officially linked to old nuclear tests if they couldn’t be passed off as natural. But apparently, the radiation traces did not match up with any other cases of nuclear exposure.  
  
“Rachel only has a population of about 50,” Peterson suddenly said. “The town was originally established as a tungsten mining town, but the mines pulled out circa in the late 1980s. The most notable place in town is an alien-themed restaurant called the Little A'Le'Inn. Weird, but good burgers.”  
  
“You’re kidding,” Rose chuckled with wide eyes.  
  
“Small town American with no industry, a few ranches and close to Area 51 so it survives on catering to UFO conspiracy fans or people on the wrong highway,” Peterson answered with a shrug. “Like I said, I live in Vegas. So do most of the base staff. If we didn’t there’d be a clear population boom in the town.”  
  
Rose nodded and started reading the files on the strange medical conditions that had come in so far.  There had been only ten, but in a town of only 50, it was more than enough to be attracting attention and fear. The first case was a young girl, aged only ten, who for the last week had been running a temperature of over one hundred and four degrees, but not other symptoms of a fever and no sign of it actually harming her. Another case involved a man in his mid-sixties with violent uncontrollable seizures. The man had formerly worked in the mines until he retired in the early 80s. The third case involved a teenage boy who was losing weight at a rapid rate no matter how many calories he was consuming. He was currently being given incredibly high-calorie IVs at a hospital in Vegas to keep him stable.   
  
After those three cases, the whole town had been checked for potential radiation poisoning which was how the other seven cases had been found. None of them were as severe, but all were equally strange. One young man’s eyesight had improved over the last two weeks from legally blind without glasses to 20/20 vision without his glasses. Another subject, a woman in her mid-forties had a high fever similar to the little girl which she hadn’t really noticed due to caring for three children. The rest were much more minor, but the doctors that Matthews had assigned were concerned that they were just seeing early symptoms of something far more severe. At that point, Rose had pulled a small notepad from her bag and was using the sonic pen to take notes on the situation.   
  
She only stopped reading the information when Peterson brought her some dinner from the back section of the plane where Rose had noticed a kitchen earlier. The meal was simple warmed up pasta, but it hit the spot and reminded Rose to take a break. She cleaned up back in the bathroom and watched the sun begin to set out of her window for a little while before she returned to her reading.   
  
Rose closed the file when she’d finished reading all of the information on the cases. The last page had been a summary of the situation from Section 13’s viewpoint. Something in the area was having a profound effect on humans, but none of their employees were showing any symptoms suggesting that it was something not in Area 51. Not to mention people close to Area 51 becoming ill wouldn’t stay quiet for long and sooner or later there would be a lot more RVs in the area investigating aliens.   
  
It was dark when they landed on the small airstrip that serviced the base and Rose was having a hard time staying awake. Peterson was yawning himself as the plane taxied into a hanger and then came to a stop.   
  
“I’ll show you to your quarters,” Peterson announced as he pulled Rose’s bag down from storage and Rose put her messenger bag over her shoulder. “Doctor Matthews is scheduled to meet with you in the morning.”  
  
“How long from now?” Rose asked as the door of the plane opened and a set of stairs were brought over.  
  
“Nine hours,” Peterson told her. “I know it’s not a long time, but at least you can get some sleep.”  
  
Rose nodded and stepped out onto the stairs. The hanger was very simple looking with a few people moving around and checking the plane. It honestly didn’t look like anything special until Rose noticed a heavy metal door on the far side of the hanger. Peterson helped Rose get her bag down to the ground then led her towards the doorway. A scanner was set into the wall at the right of the doorway and Peterson leaned forward to place his hand on one part of it and look into another part of it. A moment later the door opened.  
  
“Hand and eye scanner,” Rose observed with a smile. “What’s back here?”  
  
Peterson stepped through the doorway first into a small room that Rose realised was some kind of lift a moment later. It wasn’t hooked into the walls like most, but instead, there were four small pillars at the corners with soft blue light and a set of controls rising from the lift platform itself. A guard in a uniform similar to Peterson nodded to him and inserted a key into the controls. Then the lift moved, taking them down. Rose looked up to the see the metal ceiling growing further and further away as the platform was lowered and the blue lights casting an eerie glow.  
  
“It’s about to get bright,” Peterson warned Rose just before the platform stopped in front of a brightly lit corridor. Peterson stepped off the platform and into the corridor as Rose blinked her eyes to recover from the sudden change in the lighting. She followed him down the corridor and asked, “How deep are we?”  
  
“Only seventy feet down,” Peterson said. “Corridors like this link all the hangers and side buildings to the main network.”  
  
“So it’s all tunnels down here?” Rose asked as they rounded a corner. Up ahead she saw a guard standing next to an open archway.  
  
“Tunnels, yes, but not just like this,” Peterson answered with amusement right before he led Rose through the doorway. They were standing next to a small train rail with a white open-top car waiting for them. “All the tunnels link up to this platform and from here we take the train into the base.”  
  
The car reminded Rose of the carts used for roller coasts, but without seatbelts and must more spacious. A woman in a military uniform saluted Peterson and helped Rose put her suitcase into the car. A moment later Rose was seated in the comfortable first row of the car which had a total of five rows. Peterson was sitting next to her looking completely at ease.  
  
“Do you all really come into work this way?” Rose asked slightly disbelieving.   
  
“No, not all of us,” Peterson replied with a chuckle. “Only about half of the staff uses this system.” He gestured towards another doorway near the one they’d used. “That one links to another set of hangers and the train’s last stop behind us is actually to a parking garage. One large tunnel is easier to defend in case of attack.”  
  
The car started and Rose glanced over her shoulder to see that were was indeed a long tunnel with lights every few feet stretching out behind them. Turning her attention to the front as the car became to move, Rose became lost in the quickly passing lights and had no sense of how far they were going.   
  
“Almost there,” Peterson told her after what seemed like an hour.  
  
The car turned own last gentle curve and Rose leaned forward with interest as the space in front of them expanded into an alcove on one side of the track. Peterson climbed out of the car and grabbed Rose’s suitcase so she could climb out. Stepping out, Rose moved forward so she could step beyond the train terminal. The alcove for the train stopped suddenly and poured out into a massive room.   
  
The space was a dome with multiple floors visible to Rose with windows lining the interior and a large symbol with the number 13 dominating one section of empty pale blue wall. Bridges crisscrossed over her head connecting opposite sides of the structure and guard posts were visible throughout the space. It was very quiet, but the guards were all present a few people in a mixture of uniforms, casual fatigues or lab coats.   
  
“Welcome to the Rotunda,” Peterson announced with pleasure. “Night shifts are lab focused so it is pretty quiet right now. Things are much more exciting in the morning.”  
  
“This is an awesome design,” Rose said with a grin as she turned to see all the bridges and entrances. “And we’re still underground?”  
  
“Yeah, the top of the dome is about fifty feet below the ground,” he explained. “The train goes down slow enough that it is easy to miss. The whole complex is honeycombed underneath the old Area 51 base and the mountains.”  
  
“That’s… that beats Torchwood’s skyscraper,” Rose told him.  
  
“No one can figure that out,” Peterson said with a shake of his head. “Why Hartman wanted a freaking skyscraper?” He shook his head and then set a hand on Rose’s shoulder. “Come on, morning will come soon and you need to get some sleep.”  
  
Peterson kept a firm hand on Rose’s arm as he guided her up the third floor via a lift and down a corridor to the on-site living quarters. There was a security desk at the front of the area where a male guard was a posted and woman in civilian clothing was leaning against the desk chatting with him until Peterson cleared his throat.   
  
“You must be Miss Tyler,” the woman greeted pleasantly as she spun and caught sight of Rose. She was a short petite woman in her mid-forties with short brown hair and wide green eyes. “I am Tessa DiCarlo and Doctor Matthews has asked me to look after you while you’re here.”  
  
“Thank you,” Rose said pleasantly if a little confused. “That’s very kind of her.”  
  
“You must be tired,” Tessa offered as she pulled out an identification card and handed it to Rose. It had her picture, name and UNIT’s logo printed on it along with Rose’s status here as a ‘special consulting guest’. “This is your access key while you are with us. You don’t have clearance for all areas and information, but you’ll be able to move throughout the base with this and it will allow you to access the communication and information systems.”  
  
“Thanks,” Rose replied gratefully as she took the badge and noted the clip on it that worked best for suit lapels. “Do you have a lanyard?”   
  
Tessa blinked and shook her head before sheepishly answering, “No, I’m afraid not, but I’ll have one for you first thing in the morning.”   
  
“I’ll leave you in Doctor DiCarlo’s care,” Peterson said behind Rose. He gave her a small smile and quick salute before he turned and vanished down the corridor.  
  
“This way Miss Tyler,” Tessa told her, gesturing for Rose to follow her.  
  
“Uh just Rose is fine,” Rose informed her quickly as she followed the woman.  
  
“Lovely, then I’m just Tessa. I’m one of the medical doctors here,” Tessa told her just before she stopped in front of a door with the number 3 on a small plate next to it. “Sleep well Rose, there is a guard on duty all night if you need anything.”  
  
Tessa smiled at her and then turned to walk back to the front of the area. Rose watched her go for a moment before turning back to the door. She inserted her access key and the door opened with a click a moment later. Stepping inside, Rose hit the light switch and pulled her bag in behind her. The room was similar to a hotel room with one large single bed and an attached private bathroom. A desk stood in one corner and a large television was placed above the dresser. Rose closed the door and walked all the way into the room.   
  
“Welcome Rose Tyler,” a computerised voice said causing Rose to spin and look around. “I am Discovery Bases’ information guidance system. If during your stay there is anything that you’d like to know just say IGS or use an access terminal like the one next to the television.”  
  
Rose stepped forward and looked over to see a screen and a small set of controls in the wall next to the television.  
  
“Uh thanks,” Rose answered with a sheepish chuckle. “I’ll keep that in mind.”  
  
“Have a good night Miss Tyler and welcome to Section 13’s Discovery Base.” the voice said before vanishing.  
  
“Okay,” Rose chuckled as she put her bag on the bed. “Welcome to Section 13 indeed.”


	43. Section 13: Breakfast Briefing

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Forty-Three: Section 13: Breakfast Briefing   
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
…………….  
  
Rose woke up early according to the clock next to the bed, but she recalled that given the time she’d fallen to sleep she’d managed a good night sleep. As she stood up and stretched she decided it was best to get herself adjusted to the time change anyway. The only reason she hadn’t crashed earlier was no doubt her week’s a preparation for finals and her numerous papers that had been written through the night.  
  
After she dressed, Rose went to the Information System Access Terminal. Briefly, she regretted not getting a schedule from Tessa the night before she opened the navigation options in the terminal. Peterson had told her nine hours, but it now occurred to Rose that she didn’t know if she was supposed to meet someone somewhere or if they were coming to collect her. The second option seemed the most likely, but Rose looked over at the clock with growing concern as the nine-hour mark approached. Or had Peterson just been speaking in general terms?  
  
It only took Rose a few moments to bring a map of the Discovery Base which was much larger than even the dome had led her to believe. Tunnels and labs were honeycombed all around the dome under the nearby mountains. Out of curiosity, Rose looked up the location of Rachel against the base’s records. The town was almost right outside the gate of the main Area 51 area, but Discovery Base’s tunnels kept their distance from the town.   
  
A knock on the door made Rose turn towards it quickly without bothering further with the terminal. She shoved her feet into her trainers quickly and moved to the doorway as a second polite knock was made on it. Pulling open the door, Rose was slightly stunned when a woman a little taller than herself with olive skin, dark wavy hair and warm brown eyes smiled at her. Rose recognised her at once as Doctor Samantha Matthews.  
  
“Good morning Miss Tyler,” Doctor Matthews greeted her pleasantly. “Doctor DiCarlo asked me to give you this first thing.” Doctor Matthews pulled a long black lanyard from the pocket of her suit jacket and handed it to Rose.  
  
“Thank you,” Rose replied with a nod, a bit thrown by Doctor Matthews’ friendly nature. She pulled out the card key and quickly switched out the shirt latch for the lanyard and placed it around her neck.  
  
“Excellent,” Doctor Matthews said with a nod. “Now breakfast and briefing. Please follow me, Miss Tyler.”  
  
“Uh Rose is fine,” Rose informed her as they stepped out into the hallway.  
  
“Great then just call me Sam or Matthews,” Sam told her with a wide smile. “Everyone around here calls me Doctor Matthews while on duty; this will make a nice change.”  
  
Rose followed Doctor Matthews down the corridor and past the security desk where a new guard sat watching the monitors. He stood and saluted Doctor Matthews as they walked past him and into the main dome area. In sharp contrast to the night before the dome was brightly lit from not only its own lights but also from the offices that looked into the space. People in a mixture of uniforms, lab coats and fatigues moved about quickly, sometimes stopping one another to speak or hand off folders and binders. A low thrum of noise filled the space, echoing through the halls and making any conversation at a distance impossible to hear properly.   
  
Rose turned her attention back to Matthews who was watching her with a small smile. Seeing that she had Rose’s attention once again, Matthews motioned for Rose to follow her. They headed to a lift just off the main dome and smoothly ascended up a few levels. The corridors were white with pale blue trim that was just barely noticeable and unlike the other corridors this one had a long series of photos hanging on the walls. Rose glanced at the photos with interest as Matthews led her down the hall.  
  
“Former employees and some of their discoveries,” Matthews explained to Rose as she made a quick glance at a black and white photo of a man with a small device in his hand and beaming at the camera while still trying to look dignified.   
  
The caption gave his name as Rod Serling. Another photo was of two men, one of them in a white uniform and the other a younger man in a lab coat. That photo had a caption that simply read: Doctor Sam Beckett and Admiral Al Calavicci. Matthews suddenly stopped in front of a doorway and put her card in front of a card reader to the right of the doorway. The metal door beeped and slid open into the wall, making Rose smile at the very Star Trek swish sound it made. She wondered if the door did that naturally or if someone had set it up to do that, but quickly forced herself to pay attention to the new room.  
  
It was a conference room with large windows on the far side that looked out into the dome. A long wooden table dominated the space which was otherwise very plain with an American flag on display on one side along with a few more old photographs on the walls. Peterson stood as Rose and Matthews entered the room and Rose noticed Tessa sitting at the table. The third person waiting for them was a man Rose figured was in his early 60s with laugh lines and wrinkles showing starkly on his very pale skin which was a sharp contrast with his short neatly combed brown hair which was streaked with white hairs. In the light, his skin had a slightly purple hue to it that Rose noted but kept silent about.   
  
“Good morning Rose,” Tessa greeted. “I hope you’re hungry.”  
  
Rose noted the bowl of fruit, a plate of cinnamon rolls and a large covered platter near the three individuals. A few plates and cutlery in napkins were also waiting.  
  
“Good morning everyone,” Matthews greeted. “Rose you already know Colonel Peterson; he is the second ranking air force officer for Discovery Base and our liaison to other alien intelligence organisations. Doctor Theresa DiCarlo is one of our senior medical staff and had examined the ten mysterious cases that we called you here about.” Doctor Matthews then turned to the final man who had picked up a cinnamon roll and was eating it. When Matthews raised an eyebrow at him, he sighed and set the cinnamon roll on a napkin with a pouting look. “This is Swanic Eder from the planet Viligrid, publically known as Swanic Donovan” Matthews informed Rose with a smirk. “I guess you could call him our resident alien and version of the Doctor.”  
  
Swanic huffed at the comparison but gave Rose a nod in greeting allowing her to notice that his eyes were oddly long and narrow for a seeming Caucasian and had a washed out purple-grey colour to them.  
  
“I wasn’t aware that anyone had followed UNIT’s example of hiring on an alien advisor,” Rose told them cheerfully as she took a seat between Matthews and Swanic.  
  
“It wasn’t like that at all,” Swanic said, sounding irritated, but his facial muscles twitched as if he was holding back a smile.   
  
“Swanic is a good example of how Area 51 has changed over the years,” Matthews informed Rose as she handed her a plate and some cutlery before pulling the lid off of the main platter to reveal a pile of scrambled eggs, streaky bacon and hash browns.   
  
Rose suspected that breakfast briefings were common since everyone at the table calmly dished up food, poured themselves some coffee or orange juice and waited for Matthews to speak.  
  
“Swanic was captured in the late seventies when his ship crashed in Colorado,” Matthews explained. “He was originally a prisoner, a well-treated prisoner in exchange for his help in examining what remained of his ship. Of course, at the time of his crash, he was barely out of his version of school.”  
  
Rose glanced over at Swanic who seemed very calm and content with the situation as he piled a massive amount of the bacon onto his plate. He sensed Rose’s gaze and looked up at her. He sighed, but explained, “My planet underwent a revolution and I was on the wrong side of a student movement that forced a lot of my generation to flee. I couldn’t go home and not being shot by the general in charge of Area 51 wasn’t too bad.” He took a bite of bacon. “Plus I like the food. My people had ‘advanced’ to using nutrition cubes.”   
  
“He was granted additional rights in the late-eighties including the freedom to travel and an income for his services,” Matthews continued, “And in 1997 when Section 13 was formerly created his status was changed to that a legal resident of the United States of America.”  
  
Swanic smirked, “And now I am actually a citizen. I look forward to the next election since I wasn’t able to vote last time,” Swanic said very pointedly to Matthews.  
  
She nearly shrugged, “It’s difficult to convince the government to grant those kind of rights to someone who isn’t even human. There was no precedent for it in any country.” Matthews shook her head, “But we are off topic. Far off topic.” She turned her attention over to Tessa. “Any news on the subjects?”  
  
“Actually yes,” Tessa said as she reached down to a bag at her feet and pulled out several thick files. “Those who had mild cases are showing distinct signs of improvement and those with severe cases are stable. Two of the mild case subjects are seeking release from the hospital so they can return home. The tests we did on residents in Alamo all came back negative for any signs of the contamination. These seem to reinforce what we feared from the start: this is an environmental issue in a very small area near Rachel.”  
  
“And there haven’t been changes in Rachel itself that could explain this,” Rose verified with a frown. “No new industry or anything like that?”  
  
“Rachel has no industry,” Peterson reminded her. “The mines have been closed for years and nothing new has moved into town for quite a while.”  
  
“We should do tests on the soil near the base,” Swanic spoke up. “It is possible that we are also exposed to whatever this is, but the shielding of the base is protecting us. If nothing else it may help us determine the location of the contamination. It may not be as close to Rachel as we first assumed.”  
  
“That’s possible,” Rose agreed before turning to Matthews. “Did you start any new projects around the same time as these cases started?”  
  
“You think we caused this?” Matthews questioned Rose. “We already ran a comparison for the radiation traces against everything in the base just to be sure.”  
  
“Maybe it isn’t linked,” Rose suggested feeling a bit embarrassed. “Or maybe it was a combination of things that caused it. I’ve seen technology do pretty strange things to the surrounding environment as an unintended consequence and if your staff and being protected then maybe….” Rose shrugged as she trailed off.  
  
“I suppose there is no reason not to do a review with outside eyes,” Matthews said not unkindly with a nod to Rose. “I’ll have a briefing of all projects throughout the month before put together for review. In the meantime any other ideas?”  
  
“I should probably go into Rachel,” Rose told her as she pushed her eggs around on her plate. “Maybe I’ll notice something, fresh eyes and all that. Since the town is a UFO conspiracy hub maybe someone brought something into town recently.”  
  
“I’ll arrange a car for you,” Peterson said to Rose before looking at Matthews, “And maybe Danielle and Michael should go with her. She could pass as a friend from school with them and not cause alarm.”  
  
“Agreed,” Matthews replied with a sharp nod. “Alert them both.”  
  
“Don’t I have a say in this?” Swanic demanded, looking up from his bacon with a huff. Rose frowned slightly in confusion at the reaction.  
  
“Really Swanic,” Matthews tutted. “They’re in college now and officially work for us. Stop hovering so much.”  
  
“I do not hover over them,” he argued. “You’ve been talking with Evelyn too much.”  
  
Peterson chuckled and put his napkin on the table next to his plate. He stood and saluted Matthews and winked at Rose as Swanic continued to grumble under his breath. “I’ll arrange transport for Miss Tyler and alert the Donovans to their assignment. Everything will be in place for you to leave for Rachel in fifteen minutes.”  
  
“I’ll be heading to Vegas in an hour,” Tessa informed Matthews. “I want to check in on the subjects and evaluate those who are recovering. With luck, I can find a reason for them to stay out of Rachel a little longer.”  
  
Swanic also sensed the end of the briefing but stayed a moment longer to load his plate up with the remaining bacon and cinnamon rolls. He nodded to Rose and headed for the doorway with his plate and his coffee cup carefully balanced in his hands.  
  
“No food in the labs,” Matthews reminded him.  
  
“Then it’s a good thing I have an office,” Swanic replied before vanishing into the corridor.  
  
“I wish I had his metabolism,” Matthews sighed regretfully. “I can’t even fully get rid of baby fat.” Matthew turned to face Rose and folded her hands in her lap. “I’m sorry that breakfast wasn’t calm. We stay very busy around here. There’s a few minutes before you leave for Rachel so any questions.”  
  
“What’s your problem with Torchwood?” Rose asked calmly, as she leaned on her hand against the table.   
  
“Hartman’s imperial dream bothers me. We’ve spoken in an official capacity twice and she still calls us the colonies rather than the United States. As far as she is concerned we’re just waiting to be put back in our place.”  
  
“I don’t approve of it either, but England wasn’t the only imperial country and some would say that-”  
  
“Oh the United States is imperialistic,” Matthews said quickly, holding up her hand to stop Rose from saying anything more. “But our imperialism as born from a different source than the European imperialism, it’s not all about resources with us. That’s there and companies certainly use developing countries for labour, but it isn’t the government driven process that the Europeans did. Our great imperialistic ideal is stable democratic countries that we can get along with all across the globe, not countries that we rule. It may not seem like a big distinction, but the attitude it created in our organisation is very different from that Torchwood. The U.S. sees itself as the great protector and mediator of the globe, true or not, that is the motivation and the attitude that we were created from.”  
  
“As opposed to Hartman’s British Empire ideal,” Rose asked softly.  
  
“Exactly,” Matthews agreed with a sigh. “The fact is that at the end of the day myself and the United States may have alien weaponry, but a decision not to use them against other humans has been made. They stay locked up and in some cases are in fact destroyed. Russia and China operate the same way. Rather than starting another arms race we all just operate under an agreement of not starting that fight. No one arms their troops with alien technology and instead just sends it into the private sector for study and assimilation into human technology. Hartman…. Well, no one is sure if she’ll use what she has against her own species. Her devotion to the ‘Empire’ worries us as it violates the unspoken rules that the rest of us operate under.”  
  
“Who is us?” Rose asked. “You said China and Russia?”  
  
“Well Section 13 and UNIT obviously, especially since UNIT and Torchwood only just began their official we acknowledge that you exist relationship. China has its own alien intelligence operations and their director really doesn’t trust Torchwood since the British Empire did historically try to shallow up China and subjected them to the Opium Wars.  Russia also has an alien division and while their relationship with us is still chilly from the Cold War, their director Yablokov and I spoke after that issue Orthans and he’s worried about Hartman too.”  
  
“So is Hartman the reason for my being here?” Rose questioned.  
  
Matthews flinched slightly in embarrassment. “Not the only reason,” she insisted. “UNIT and Section 13 have been trying to build some bridges and figure out how to work together in the event of a major crisis for a few years now. I just wasn’t sure if I was interested in working with what is still primarily a military organisation. Section 13 started achieving good things when we stopped being under military rule and gave our scientists more authority in what they did. But UNIT is staring to make a similar transition and I want to support that and you’ve been a part of that.”  
  
“I guess that’s a good reason,” Rose told Matthews with a smile.   
  
“Of course the fact that you showed Hartman up and had to save her sorry ass certainly elevated you in my eyes.” Matthews shrugged at the look Rose gave her. “Childish maybe, but you operate on a system of morals that I can respect and you actually have a damn good success record doing it.” Matthews glanced down at her watch and then stood up. “Follow me please; Peterson will have the car and the Donovans ready by now.”  
  
“You said that Swanic’s public name was Donovan,” Rose observed as they headed for the lift.  
  
“Yes, Danielle and Michael are his children,” Matthews told her with a grin. “His half-human children. His wife Evelyn is one of the retired medical doctors from Area 51.”  
  
At Rose’s surprised look Matthews laughed before pressing the button to summon the lift.


	44. Section 13: Ship in the Desert

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Forty-Four: Section 13: Ship in the Desert  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
………………………………..  
  
Rose gazed out the window that the flat desert that stretched out in front of the SUV from the passenger seat. When she’d visited New York she’d been in taxis and it had been easier to ignore the U.S.’s reversed road rules than it was now. Danielle Donovan was next to Rose and driving the SUV towards the outer fence of Area 51 and towards Rachel. Her brother Michael was in the back seat, pouting slightly at the seating arrangement.  
  
“So,” Danielle said slowly as she glanced quickly over at Rose. “What do you think?”  
  
“About what?” Rose asked as she looked to Danielle. “The base?”  
  
“Us,” Michael answered for his sister from the back. “You know the half-breeds.”  
  
“Oh,” Rose uttered with a blush. “Well, you look a bit like your dad I guess,” she answered studying Danielle. They both had sandy brown hair, much lighter than their fathers and their eyes were a soft greyish violet like their fathers. Rose wondered how much attention that eye colour got them, but at least the colour was one that could appear in humans. But their skin tone was normal for humans.   
  
“Look like our dad?” Danielle asked in a teasing voice.  
  
“I’m just surprised I guess,” Rose told them. “I’ve heard about human and alien mixes, but I suppose it still surprises me that it is possible without major scientific intervention.”  
  
“True,” Danielle agreed with a laugh. “You’re not wrong, humans and chimps can’t mix despite being closely related and donkeys are sterile. Our mother did a lot of research and testing when she became pregnant with us to figure out how it had happened.”  
  
“She knew how it happened,” Michael interjected making his sister grip the wheel harder and roll her eyes.  
  
“Fine, how it was possible that they could produce a viable pregnancy. She found that more evolved sentient beings like humans and our dad have a few strands of highly flexible DNA that can blend together and mutate to make an embryo viable. It was a surprise, but here we are. Of course, we’re the only pregnancy that mom ever had so it was still a shot in the dark.”  
  
“So how did that go? Your birth I mean?” Rose asked glancing between the twins. “The politics must have been ugly.”  
  
“Actually that was the period when Dad was being granted freedoms under the new rules so it wasn’t too bad. Mom was scared of course, but the command staff at the time decided we were more valuable being raised with loyalty to Earth and learning from our father. We have citizenship as it was argued that our mother was a U.S. citizen and we were born here. After all the laws don’t specify that you have to be fully human.”  
  
“That was lucky,” Rose remarked. “If things had gone differently….”  
  
Danielle shuddered and nodded in agreement. “Well in our early years we still weren’t let out much. College is the first time that we attended a regular school of any sort. We both pretend not to notice the protective agents that always seem to be near our dorms.”  
  
“I see,” Rose replied slowly and she changed the subject, noting Danielle’s tense expression. “Well, it’s great that you were born healthy and that everything worked out. What year are you in and where?”  
  
Michael chuckled at the topic change and when Rose twisted around to look back at him, he winked at her. “We both go to the University of Nevada in Las Vegas and are freshman. I’m studying electrical engineering.”  
  
“And I’m studying biological sciences focusing on evolutionary biology.”  
  
“Nice,” Rose told them with a smile. “I’m at Cambridge and study physics.”  
  
“And computer science,” Michael added and when Rose turned to look sharply at him, he shrugged. “A basic summary about you was sent around when UNIT agreed to send you.”  
  
“That’s both flattering and creepy,” Rose grumbled as she looked back to the front. Just ahead she could see in the wide span of brown prairie grass and a green and white sign that read: Rachel Elev 4970.  
  
The town ahead was unlike anything Rose had ever seen. She’d driven through plenty of villages in the English countryside, but this was a spread out collection of one-story white buildings with brown roofs.  Some were closer together with paved side streets in groups, but from their location on the highway, she could see at least three such groups. They drove past a welcoming sign that listed the human population and the alien population with a question mark.  
  
“No half alien option,” Michael observed with an exaggerated sigh making Danielle shake her head.  
  
“I’m afraid to ask, but which one of you is older?” Rose questioned Danielle.  
  
“I am,” Danielle told Rose with a smirk.  
  
“By seven minutes,” Michael grumbled from the back.  
  
“When it comes to you, every second counts,” Danielle grumbled before looking at Rose. “You have any siblings?”  
  
“No,” Rose replied with a wistful smile. “Just me, but I’m close to some of the neighbourhood kids so I suppose I’ve got a couple younger siblings. I’ve got a godson too if that counts at all.”   
  
The SUV slowed down and they turned off the highway onto one of the roads of Rachel. Looking out the window, Rose studied the buildings with interest. They drove past a tow truck that had some kind of flying saucer prop hanging from the back that made Rose blink and giggle.  
  
“Okay,” Rose said as she turned to Danielle. “Maybe finding something weird here won’t be easy to spot.”  
  
The SUV pulled over and parked in front of a long white building with bright blue trim. Rose’s eyes landed on the large sign as she climbed out of the SUV.   
  
“Little a'le'inn?” Rose read out, unable to contain a chuckle. Below these words was another plywood sign with a large Roswell grey alien painted on with the name repeated on it along with the words: Earthlings Welcome.  
  
“Yep,” Michael chuckled as he stepped up next to Rose. “The town’s motel, bar restaurant and gift shop.” He glanced over at his sister. “Might as well start here. Maybe an artefact of some kind found its way here.”  
  
Saying nothing, Rose followed the twins into the long building. Once inside she realised that her assessment of the building’s size had been wrong. The main space was large and went back over twelve feet. A long bar painted with images of the planets dominated the area to the right of the door. Paper bills from all over the world with messages written on hung above the bar creating a canopy over the bar. Basic wooden tables with orange chairs filled the main room along with a billiard table and at the back was a smaller room where Rose could already see shelves of alien themed novelty items and racks of t-shirts. All across the walls were unframed photos and some posters with more aliens. There were several people at the bar having coffee and a pair of Asians sitting at one of the tables with breakfast plates.  
  
“I always feel weird in here,” Danielle whispered to Rose.   
  
“I can imagine,” Rose replied with a small smile as she moved further into the building. A woman behind the bar waved to them and grinned broadly. She was an older woman with short curly sandy brown hair and wearing a black apron with the establishment’s name and a green alien head on.   
  
“Hi Pat,” Michael greeted as he slipped into a seat at the bar. “How are things?”  
  
“Good,” Pat replied. “Haven’t seen you two around lately.”  
  
“Busy with college,” Michael informed her before pointing at Rose. “This is Rose, she’s a foreign student and was wondering about the area.”  
  
“Nice to meet you,” Pat told Rose with another smile. “Where abouts in England?”  
  
“London,” Rose informed her, already glancing around.  
  
“So anything new around here?” Michael asked Pat.   
  
“People getting sick,” Pat informed him with a sad look coming over her face. “They’re saying it is radiation traces from the old tests, but I’ve already had more visitors insisting that new experiments are to blame.”  
  
“Doesn’t sound pleasant,” Michael remarked with a small flinch. “Any new merchandise is actually what I meant.”  
  
“Oh,” Pat blinked at him but nodded towards the back. “Got some new things a couple of weeks ago that your friend might like,” she added looking at Rose.  
  
Giving the woman a nod and smile, Rose quickly moved into the back area and glanced over the items. Most of them were small plastic figures of aliens or what she assumed were the Men in Black. There were small space saucers, a couple of t-shirts and even an Area 51 cookbook. Rose forced herself to take a breath and went to the nearest shelf to check it over more carefully.   
  
“What are we looking for?” Danielle asked her as she joined Rose in going through a pile of t-shirts.  
  
“Something that doesn’t fit,” Rose explained with a small shrug. “Here it could pass as a piece of fake alien technology or decoration.”  
  
“Do you think we’ll find something here?” Michael asked as he picked up a shot glass to read the message on it.  
  
“No,” Rose admitted. “But I’m waiting for a brief of all the latest experiments and your dad to finish testing the soil from around the base and Rachel.”  
  
They looked for an area and the closest they got was a beautiful glass paperweight with swirls of blue, green and specks of gold, but according to the bottom of the box, it was Earth in a series of planet-themed paperweights. It was a pricey one hundred and fifty dollars, but Rose decided that she liked it and she felt a bit bad for searching the place for alien tech. Deciding to be a decent friend, Rose grabbed three t-shirts for Astra, Sharon and Shareen. She could imagine Sharon and Shareen rolling their eyes, but figured Astra would find it funny.  
  
Danielle’s mobile rang as Rose was paying for her purchases with her credit card. Watching out of the corner of her eye, Rose saw Danielle walk out the main door and into the parking lot. Rose accepted her bag and followed Danielle out with Michael. They were in time to see Danielle close the phone and put it back into her pocket.  
  
“That was Daddy,” she informed Rose. “He’s finished the first group of soil tests, but says that the soil isn’t showing anything concrete, but he’s going to check some of the insects that he pulled out. Maybe whatever is affecting the humans is having an effect on them.”  
  
“It’s a thought,” Rose replied with a soft sigh. “Well, any other ideas.”  
  
“Short of breaking into people’s houses, I can’t think of anything else we can do in town until we have a better fix on this thing,” Michael admitted with a frown as he looked over at the nearest mobile home. “And I don’t suggest breaking into homes, there are more than a few shotguns in this town.”  
  
“Let’s circle the area,” Danielle suggested. “Maybe it’s something out in the desert.”  
  
“That we aren’t picking up?” Michael questioned with a raised eyebrow.  
  
“It could be shielded, but visible to human eyes,” Danielle countered raising her chin slightly.  
  
Sensing a sibling moment coming, Rose stepped up to Danielle and smiled. “Sounds good and if nothing else it will let me see the landscape a bit.”  
  
“This is the Nevada desert,” Michael reminded Rose as he looked out towards the long stretch of course sand and brush. “Not exactly photogenic.”  
  
“It’s different from where I come from,” Rose told him with a wide grin. “Besides it is pretty in its own way.”  
  
“If you say so,” Michael said with a shrug. “Personally I’d rather see England.”  
  
“I wouldn’t recommend coming to England while Hartman’s the head of Torchwood unless UNIT agrees to help protect you,” Rose told him sadly. “They leave people under UNIT protection alone, but I wouldn’t count of Hartman’s self-control.” Rose paused and then smiled, “Ireland would be a good choice, another area that rebelled and she has no power in.”  
  
“You seem to like egging Hartman,” Danielle observed with a chuckle.  
  
“Yeah… I know I shouldn’t, but I just can’t seem to help it,” Rose admitted a bit sheepishly.  
  
They were almost at the SUV when Danielle lunged for the driver’s side door, but Michael beat her there and stuck his tongue out at her. Chuckling, Rose watched the siblings as Danielle ungracefully accepted the back seat and let Rose climb into the passenger seat. Michael grinned at Rose as he started the SUV. A moment later they were back on the Extraterrestrial Highway and driving away from town.  
  
“Well, let’s follow the highway north for a bit and see if something comes to mind,” Michael told Rose. “Hopefully we’ll hear something soon.”  
  
Rose nodded, already letting her eyes scan the horizon as they pulled onto the highway and headed north. It was unlike anything Rose had seen before with the long flat stretches of underbrush and the occasional cactus. In the distance, the mountains jutted up harshly from the flat terrain but were hazy in the heat. Everyone was quiet in the SUV as they sped up the highway.  
  
Then Rose spotted a strange artificial shape in the distance that looked far too small to be a house and in another moment she was able to make out its colour: blue. Rose blinked and closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again. It was still there and too far away to be sure so Rose hoped it wasn’t a mirage.   
  
“Danielle,” Rose called, “Do you see that?”  
  
She heard the girl in the backseat shift towards her side. A moment later Danielle asked, “What is that? Michael pull over.”  
  
They slowed down and the SUV bumped a bit as Michael pulled them off the road and onto the dirt shoulder.  
  
“What did you see?” Michael asked as he tried to look past Rose and through the window.   
  
The shape was a bit behind them and its colour was hard to make out, but Rose pointed it out to him.  
  
“I think-” Rose hesitated. “Is that normal?”  
  
“Well I’ve seen rusted cars out in the desert,” Michael told her. “But we might as well take a quick look.”  
  
Rose was going to open her door when Michael swung the SUV around and started driving back the way they’d come. He glanced out the window at the mystery object and Rose tried to stay still in her seat as a nervous excitement bubbled up in her. Once they were closer, Michael gently turned off the road and started slowly driving over the terrain towards it. Rose leaned forward, her eyes locked on the blue structure as it began to take a more solid form. Grinning, Rose held back a giggle. It was the TARDIS. Michael gently brought the SUV to a halt in front of the tall blue box a few moments later.  
  
“Police Public Call Box,” Danielle read off as she poked her head forward between Rose and Michael.   
  
Quickly, Rose unbuckled her seat belt and nearly leapt from the vehicle. Her feet hit the dusty ground and Rose gently touched the key on the chain around her neck. Stepping forward, Rose ignored Michael and Danielle as they started asking questions.  
  
“Hello Gorgeous,” Rose greeted the TARDIS as she patted the blue wood fondly. “Which Doctor are you carrying?”  
  
“The Doctor?” Michael repeated before his eyes went back to the sign on the TARDIS. “Wait a sec, this belongs to the Doctor?”  
  
“Yeah,” Rose told them with a secretive smile. Her eyes dropped to the ground. A set of footprints were leading away from the TARDIS and towards some nearby hills. Rose bent down and studied them for a moment. Judging from the tread marks the footprints had been left by a pair of large combat boots. She only knew of one version of him that wore that kind of boots. Smiling, Rose straightened back up and gestured towards the tracks.  
  
“The Doctor went this way,” she told them. “If he’s here then I’d say that he’s probably a lot closer to solving this mystery than we are.”  
  
“The Doctor,” Michael repeated again. “Seriously, the Doctor who took down Colonel Stark in 1958?”  
  
“I don’t know anything about that,” Rose replied with a shrug. “But if he was one of the classic Area 51 sorts then probably.” Rose took a few steps to follow the tracks and then turned back to Michael. “Uh any idea what the Doctor who did that looked like?”  
  
“Uh…” Michael hesitated.  
  
“Brown hair, mid-thirties in appearance,” Danielle supplied after a moment of thought.  
  
“Right,” Rose sighed with a glance back at the footprints. “This could be interesting then.”  
  
“Wait,” Danielle told her. “We need some supplies first, just to be safe.”  
  
Nodding, Rose resisted the urge to just start walking. The Donovans went to the back of the SUV and opened it quickly. A moment later Rose gave a small cry as a light green backpack was tossed to her. She caught it and swung it over her shoulder as Danielle and Michael both did the same.  
  
“All the rigs have these,” Michael explained as he adjusted his straps slightly. “Water, energy bars, GPS unit, matches, first aid kit and sunscreen.”   
  
At Danielle’s insistence, they took a few moments to apply sunscreen and drink some water before she would let them take a step away from the car. Once they were ready, Michael led the way, following the Doctor’s footprints over the desert terrain. Glancing over her shoulder, Rose checked the location of the TARDIS and realised that they were moving away from it quicker than she would have expected. Up ahead was a mountain that they seemed to be heading straight towards.  
  
“Interesting,” Michael muttered ahead of Rose as he checked the GPS unit in his hand. “We’re heading straight for one of the old mines.” Michael looked at Rose over his shoulder, “I hope you’re not claustrophobic.”  
  
“Don’t worry,” Rose said as they began to climb a foothill. “I’m not.”  
  
“Good for you,” Danielle nearly growled from behind her. “I am.”  
  
The tracks strayed a little at the base of the mountain; circling around a bit before they ended before a small opening in the side of the mountain. There was an old wooden frame around the opening and several boards were lying discarded to the side.  
  
“Here we are,” Michael told Rose as he looked back at his sister. “Danni,” he said gently. “Why don’t you radio this into the base. It looks like the Doctor has already gone inside so good odds that this is the place.”  
  
A look of gratitude crossed Danielle’s face and she pulled out her cell phone. “Okay, thanks.” She looked at the opening. “Are you really going in?”  
  
“Yes,” Rose told her quickly.  
  
“Not very far,” Michael promised at the same time. “Just enough to confirm that there is recent activity inside.” Rose glared at him, but Michael met her gaze squarely. “We’re going to be careful. This is an odd mine, the insides are supported by wooden struts and it’s been closed for more than a decade.”  
  
“Be careful,” Danielle told her brother.  
  
Michael pulled out the torch from his bag and shined into the opening. “Just mind the bat, Rose,” he said before stepping into the tunnel. Rose turned her own torch on and gave Danielle a quick smile before she followed Michael into the mine.


	45. Section 13: Under the Mountain

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Forty-Five: Section 13: Under the Mountain  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
……………………………  
  
Michael hadn’t been kidding about the bats. Despite the entrance being mostly boarded up, there were several sleeping bats clinging to the top of the tunnel above her head. Rose wasn’t naturally squeamish, but she tried to focus on keeping her footing as they moved through the old tunnel and not on the bats. A small rail line ran down the middle of the tunnel for several feet before partial cave-ins covered the track. Rose glanced with worry at the old wooden support structures that were holding the mountain above her. Her stomach twisted and Rose focused her gaze on Michael’s back.  
  
The tunnel began to split into small side tunnels and Rose realized for the first time since she started following the Doctor’s tracks that she was entering a maze of honeycombed tunnels in a strange place. Definitely one of the stupider things she had even done and strangely the fact that Michael was willing going along with it actually made her feel better. After all, he was from the area and had a better sense of the mines than she did. She hoped.  
  
Michael stopped in front of her before a split of the tunnel. “One second,” he told her. “I need to look ahead for more tracks.” The shifting of rocks meant that tracks were only visible in the dirt every so often. Rose nodded her agreement and waited as Michael walked a short distance down the first tunnel and then the second one. He didn’t bother to enter the third but instead gestured for Rose to join him. She caught up with him and looked at the ground where a few boot prints were clear on the ground.  
  
They walked a little further and Rose shifted uncomfortably. It felt like her skin was too tight, similar to being itchy, but not quite the same thing. She rubbed her neck absentmindedly and noticed Michael moving his torch to rub his arm.  
  
 “Do you feel that?” Rose asked him after observing the movement.  
  
“Feel what?” Michael asked as he came to a halt and looked over his shoulder at her.  
  
“I don’t know, I just feel strange,” Rose told him uneasily. “I’m not sure.”  
  
Michael frowned, but looked thoughtful before he nodded. “Yeah, I get that. I feel weird, I’m not sure what it is, but I feel it.”  
  
“It could be the source of the radiation disease,” Rose observed before frowning. “I hate to say it, but maybe we should turn back and let the Doctor handle it solo.”  
  
“Seriously?” Michael gaped at her.  
  
“Look if it is what is making people sick and we’re already feeling strange than getting closer to it isn’t a good idea,” Rose pointed out seriously. “The Doctor isn’t human and is pretty immune to most radiations.”  
  
Michael sighed and looked down the tunnel they’d just started down, but he nodded. “You’re probably right,” he admitted looking downcast. “Anyway, we did tell Danielle that we weren’t going too far. We can meet up with our people and they can come in with radiation suits.”  
  
“Good plan,” Rose agreed, turning to start leading them out. It was much easier as their own tracks and disturbances in the rocks made it easy to track their way back.  
  
They were back in the main tunnel when a feminine scream suddenly echoed down the long tunnel. Michael jumped past Rose, knocking her into the wall by accident in his haste to get to the opening of the mine. Rose grunted in pain and had to lean against the wall as she struggled to catch her breath after having the wind knocked out of her. Up ahead she heard a shout followed by another scream. Then there was an incredibly loud crash and Rose turned the corner in time to see the bats screeching bloody murder and the first rocks falling. She was frozen for a terrible moment as she watched the ceiling crack. Jumping back, Rose darted back around the corner of the tunnel, avoiding the cave in behind her by just a few feet.  
  
Rose clung to the far wall as she panted for air and tried to stop shaking. Her torch had fallen from her hand and was shining light on the rocky ground beside her, but otherwise, she was surrounded by darkness. When she could breathe again, Rose leaned down and picked up her torch. Shining it down the tunnel she found, to her great horror, that a thick slope of rocks was blocking her way.  
  
Reaching for her mobile phone, Rose cursed as she realised that she didn’t have a contact number for Section 13. She’d been counting on Michael and Danielle for that, but it only took her a second to think of another option. Hitting the speed dial for Spock, Rose raised the phone to her ear and waited impatiently as she shown the light around the tunnel. She’d been in tunnels before, she’d been in dark places before and she’d been alone in dangerous situations before, but never all three at once.  
  
“Hello Rose,” Spock greeted in his usual calm computerised voice. “How is Nevada?”  
  
“Taking a turn for the worse,” Rose reported to him. “I don’t have time to talk, but I need the number for Doctor Samantha Matthews with Section 13.”  
  
“That will take me a few minutes,” Spock told her. “Section 13 has excellent defences.”  
  
“I’ll wait,” Rose replied after taking another long breath.   
  
She was starting to feel very warm and felt a bad headache coming on. She wondered as she waited for Spock if it was the source of the radiation or the stress of being cut off and not knowing what had happened to Michael and Danielle. Spock returned a few minutes later and recited off a number to Rose who repeated the number twice before entering it in her mobile. Rose drummed her fingers as she waited for the phone to stop ringing.  
  
“This is Doctor Matthews,” the voice of Samantha greeted sharply, Rose could detect a lot of tension.  
  
“This is Rose Tyler,” she explained quickly. “I’m trapped in the old mine and have been separated from the Donovans by a rock slide. We heard Danielle scream and I heard shouting before there was this strange crash that I think caused the cave in.  
  
“I was afraid of that,” Matthews sighed. “I had sent a squad out to the mind after Danielle alerted us, but they haven’t reported yet that they arrived.” Both women were silent until Matthews asked, “Did you hear or see anything else?”  
  
“No,” Rose answered sadly. “I’m afraid not. At this point, I’m going to go further into the mine and see if I can find the Doctor.”  
  
“Understood,” Matthews told her. “My people will get a visual on the area and see what is happening. You focus on staying safe.”  
  
“Got it,” Rose agreed, knowing she couldn’t do much else. “Just help Danielle and Michael. I’m not in any danger right now.”  
  
The call ended and Rose took in another slow breath, the air tasted stale this far in and Rose wondered if she shouldn’t be much more worried about her own safety. Turning her light down the tunnel, Rose started to follow the Doctor’s trail once again. She made it to a break in the path and was trying to figure out which way to go when a hand from the darkness grabbed her. Rose screamed and swung around to roundhouse kick her attacker. They dodged out of the way and Rose moved into a defence position, breathing heavily.  
  
“I think,” a familiar Northern accent remarked, “That is the first time I have heard you scream since you were eleven years old.”  
  
Rose blushed, suddenly grateful for the darkness. That comment had a lot more meaning to her than it did to him. She raised her torch to illuminate the grinning face of the Ninth Doctor.  
  
“No one’s perfect,” Rose defended with a sheepish smile. “And apparently confined tunnels, darkness and being alone isn’t my favourite combination.”  
  
The Doctor’s smile softened and he glanced over her, checking her for injuries. Unable to resist any longer, Rose stepped forward and opened her arms. To her relief, he didn’t hesitate and welcomed her hug. It calmed Rose, having the Doctor, any Doctor so close to her. Plus it didn’t hurt that she knew how jaded this version was, but he always let her hug him. It was enough to make a girl giddy if she hadn’t been in a dark tunnel with who knows what going on outside.  
  
“Now,” the Doctor said as he released Rose and took a step back, “What brings you to Nevada?”  
  
“I’m helping Section 13 on behalf of UNIT,” Rose informed him. “Something in the area is making humans sick.”  
  
“And you tracked it here?” The Doctor asked.  
  
“No,” Rose admitted, “I spotted the TARDIS and followed your tracks here.”  
  
“Strangely…. That is a new one,” the Doctor replied, crossing his arms.  
  
“We were turning back to get a crew with radiation protection,” Rose continued, “But something happened outside and caused a cave in. I called the Head of Section 13 with my superphone to warn her, but I don’t know what happened,” she finished in a rush.  
  
“Alright,” the Doctor replied with a nod. His hand slipped into her free one and squeezed it. “But in the meantime, we have to worry about you.”  
  
“Me?”  
  
“You were right to turn around,” the Doctor told her, locking his blue eyes on hers. “Rose the ship is giving off radiation that doesn’t harm me, but it very dangerous to humans in long exposure situations.”  
  
“It’s a ship?” Rose questioned, trying not to focus on the danger issue.  
  
“Yeah,” the Doctor chuckled. “Crashed here, the miners got really really close to it. I just had to knock down a wall and clear some rubble.”  
  
“Any idea what triggered this?” Rose questioned. “Why now?”  
  
“For some reason, the auxiliary engines came on and overheated,” the Doctor answered. “They probably accidently sent a message to the ship with one of their experiments.”  
  
“Then I was right,” Rose cheered with a smile. At the Doctor’s look, she explained, “I suggested that an experiment may have had an unknown environmental effect that wasn’t affecting people in the bases’ shielding, but was affecting the locals.” Rose glanced behind her towards the dark and caved in tunnels. “Don’t suppose you have any more of the stuff you used to clear the rubble and knock down that wall?”  
  
The Doctor’s expression darkened and he shook his head, “No, but I felt a breeze a few turns back so there may be another way in and out.” He tugged on her hand and started walking.  
  
“Shouldn’t you worry about turning off the engines first?” Rose protested, stopping her tracks.  
  
“I did turn the engines off,” the Doctor told her quickly as he started pulling her along after him. “The problem is that the radiation is still too high and concentrated in the area. What I need to do is make sure you’re safe,” the Doctor answered gruffly, making Rose smile even though he couldn’t see it.  
  
Rose allowed the Doctor to lead her through the tunnels as she kept her torch aimed in front of them. He stopped at an intersection and held out a hand.   
  
“Can you really feel a breeze that way?” Rose questioned in a soft voice.  
  
“Superior Time Lord senses,” he replied in a teasing tone. “This way.”  
  
Rose blinked as her vision became hazy. She was feeling very tired and even hotter than before, sweat was dripping from the back of her neck and rolling down her back.   
  
“One moment,” Rose demanded, coming to a halt. She let go of the Doctor’s hand and shrugged off the backpack enough to pull out the water bottle. The Doctor took the torch from her hand and Rose greedily drank down the water, aware that the Doctor was examining her in the torchlight.  
  
“I don’t look good,” he said softly.  
  
“You need to work on your charm,” Rose teased, forcing a smile, but his expression of worry only grew more intense.   
  
“Come on,” he told her, retaking her hand and giving her back the torch. “I can smell fresh air this way. A sinkhole may have opened.”  
  
“Great,” Rose replied weakly, tightening her grip on his hand. “So where is the ship?” She asked to make conversation.  
  
“That way,” the Doctor answered, pointing over his shoulder at a tunnel branch they had just passed. “Not too far from here which is why we need to keep moving and get you away from it.”  
  
The Doctor suddenly stopped and Rose nearly ran into his back. She stumbled over the rocks, not quite able to keep her footing. He caught her, wrapping an arm around her waist and holding her still.  
  
“Hush,” he whispered and Rose tried to focus enough to hear whatever he was hearing.  
  
There was movement up ahead, a lot of it. Several people moving through the tunnel. The Doctor drew them back from the tunnel’s curve slowly as the light began to shine down the tunnel.  
  
“Spread out and find the source of the radiation,” an American voice barked. “Neutralise any Section 13 personnel, but mind the roof. We don’t want another cave in.”  
  
“Oh no,” Rose breathed, fear and adrenaline helping break through the haze.  
  
The Doctor released her waist and tightened his grip. “I’m sorry Rose,” he muttered. “Run!”  
  
Rose couldn’t keep the torch straight as they ran, but the Doctor seemed to know exactly where he was going even in the dark. Relaxing as much as she could, Rose tried to focus on letting the Doctor guide her and ignoring the movements behind her. They darted down a long and dark tunnel that suddenly split open with rubble everywhere. Low light was streaming out into the irregular space through a large crevice where a small ship was sitting, surrounded by rock. The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver, not releasing Rose’s hand and opened the door.  
  
He looked back at Rose and tugged her towards the door. She fell forward, her legs giving out and the Doctor caught her once again. This time he didn’t try to put Rose back on her feet, but scooped her up and stepped into the small ship. Rose tried to look around, but her eyes would barely open. She felt herself be set on the ground and heard metal slide into place.  
  
“Rose,” the Doctor called gently, returning to her side. “You’re showing symptoms of a high level of radiation poisoning.”  
  
“I guessed that,” Rose muttered, it came out much more harshly than she wanted it to. “Sorry,” she added softly.  
  
“Not your fault,” the Doctor replied gently. “You were trying to leave for just this reason.” She heard him moving around. “Any idea who that lot was?”  
  
“Black Sun,” Rose spat, “They’ve been everywhere lately.”  
  
“Black Sun?” The Doctor repeated. “I don’t know that name.”  
  
“Name’s all we know,” Rose answered, letting her eyes close all the way. “That and they keep attacking people to get at alien technology. They attacked Torchwood back in …. April,” Rose added as she tried to think. “Yeah, it was right after my birthday and comet chasing.”  
  
“Comet-chasing,” the Doctor repeated as he turned to look at Rose. His expression softened from curious and suspicious to worried as he looked down at Rose. Her face was damp with sweat and very pale. She opened her eyes and looked up at them, but the colour of them was off.  
  
“You should stop talking,” the Doctor offered slowly. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”  
  
“Yeah,” Rose agreed. “Don’t want to mess up the timelines.” She swallowed and focused her ill gaze on him. “How are we going to get out of this one?”  
  
“I don’t know yet,” the Doctor answered as he looked over at the ship’s door. “They’ll find the ship soon and both our exits are blocked… but don’t worry I can treat your sickness, just hang on.”  
  
“How long do I have?” Rose asked softly.  
  
The Doctor didn’t answer and pulled out his sonic screwdriver. “Let’s see if I can put some more shielding around the auxiliary engine and lower the exposure you’re getting.”  
  
Rose nodded a little, relaxing back against the box the Doctor had propped her up against. She felt like there was something she could help with or someone she could call, but the thoughts just wouldn’t come together properly. Her eyelids felt so heavy and Rose fell asleep just moments after letting them slid shut.  
  
………………Next Time on Time and the Trickster……………….  
  
The Doctor picked up Rose’s ringing mobile and considered it for a moment as a strange number appeared on the screen. He glanced over at Rose who was asleep and didn’t seem to be getting any worse, but he wasn’t willing to risk it. Opening the phone, he lifted it to his ear.  
  
“Listen closely,” a voice said on the other end. “Two days ago I gave Rose a booster in her food to buy her more time against the radiation poisoning, but we have limited time to sort this out.”  
  
“Who are you,” the Doctor demanded.  
  
“I’m you,” the voice informed him, sounding rather irritated and bored. “Future regeneration and all that, but that’s not important. If we want to save Rose then we need to work together. I’m at Section 13 and commandeering some help from them. What do you say?”  
  
The Doctor was still, but a soft noise from Rose snapped him back to the situation at hand. “Fine,” he nearly growled. “Do you have a plan?”


	46. Tale of Two Time Lords: Agreement

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Forty-Six: Tale of Two Time Lords: Agreement  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
…………………….  
  
The Doctor was used to companions in danger. He never liked it, but over the centuries of travelling with the troublesome apes, he had become used to the fact that they wandered off, angered the wrong person or in the case of many of the girls who wore ridiculous shoes tripped at the worst possible moment. It made sense of course; he’d seen plenty of his companions die which always horrified to him. Their deaths always hurt when he couldn’t save them and he’d been known to regenerate in order to save them.  
  
Humming filled the small ship capsule as the Doctor did everything he could with the sonic screwdriver to repair and boost the shielding around the auxiliary engine. He wondered just what the local ‘alien experts’ had done to cause the engine to activate after what he estimated was probably at least a thousand years underground, maybe closer to two thousand years. Risking a quick glance at Rose, he frowned when he noticed her gripping something around her neck in her sleep. It took him a moment to realise that she was, in fact, gripping her TARDIS key on the longest chain around her neck. He had barely noticed it before.  
  
The sonic screwdriver stopped humming and the Doctor slid a piece of metal from the wall across the opening to the auxiliary engine. It wasn’t much of a shield, but it would buy Rose some time. He’d have to use the sonic every few minutes on the metal to increase the resonance which would add to the effect, but it was all he could do.  
  
Rose whimpered in her sleep and the Doctor whirled back to her without a thought. Dropping to his knee next to her, he gently touched the skin of her cheek. It was damp from sweat, but not as hot as he had feared it would be. He took her pulse, which was still steady and stronger than it should have been. It was a relief, but another small mystery. She was in too good of condition despite the fact that she was suffering extreme radiation poisoning.   
  
Looking around the small ship, the Doctor tried to think of a way out. Just outside he could already hear their mystery attackers examining the ship. No doubt they’d return with blowtorches or something else overly brutal. Rose had seemed to know who they were, he realised with another frown and glance at the girl in question. Another mystery, another potential problem and another thing to worry about when it came to this jeopardy friendly girl.  
  
The ringing of her mobile caused Rose to stir slightly, but she did not fully wake. Instead, her fingers weakly pawed at her pocket before the temporary flicker of awareness faded, but the phone kept ringing. The Doctor ignored it and used his sonic on the auxiliary shielding to reinforce the protection as the phone finally stopped ringing. Then it started ringing again. After a moment of consideration, the Doctor knelt down and fished the phone from Rose’s pocket, thinking it might be one of her allies. At least he hoped so. He didn’t want to deal with her mother or a friend who had no idea what was going on. The Doctor considered the phone for a moment as a strange number appeared on the screen. He glanced over at Rose who was asleep and didn’t seem to be getting any worse, but he wasn’t willing to risk it. Opening the phone, he lifted it to his ear.  
  
“Listen closely,” a voice with an Estuary accent ordered on the other end. “Two days ago I gave Rose a booster in her food to buy her more time against the radiation poisoning, but we have limited time to sort this out.”  
  
“Who are you,” the Doctor demanded.  
  
“I’m you,” the voice informed him, sounding rather irritated and bored. “Future regeneration and all that, but that’s not important. If we want to save Rose then we need to work together. I’m at Section 13 and commandeering some help from them. What do you say?”  
  
The Doctor was still, but a soft noise from Rose snapped him back to the situation at hand. “Fine,” he nearly growled. “Do you have a plan?”  
  
“Don’t we always?” the other Doctor asked. “Look I’m trying to fix up an old transmat unit they’ve got over here, but I need a solid signal to hook into. The radiation from the auxiliary engine has bled into the ground all around that ship. Rose’s phone isn’t a signal that this old system can detect as different from every other phone so I need you to put out something in the trxin spectrum just to be sure.”  
  
The Ninth Doctor moved into the old cockpit and examined the various controls. “I’ve got power so I should be able to get the communications systems working on this end,” he answered shortly. “Who was it who attacked us?”  
  
“A dangerous paramilitary group that works with the grey and black market for alien technology,” the other Doctor replied. “Recently they were offered several special contracts that have motivated them to assault major government organisations.”  
  
“Their name?”  
  
“Black Sun,” the other Doctor answered with a near growl of his own. “But that’s something that Rose is going to take care of.”  
  
“You don’t sound happy about that,” the Doctor observed.  
  
“I remember not being pleased about it when I was you,” the other Doctor told him. “Just work on the communication system so you can send me a signal.”  
  
“Fine,” the Doctor grumbled into the phone. “You get the transmat working on your end.”  
  
“Fine,” the other Doctor snapped back before the call ended.   
  
The Doctor slapped the phone down on the controls of the ship next to him. He looked over his shoulder at Rose and asked, “When did he have a chance to put a booster in your food?” Shaking his head, he turned his attention back to recharging and repairing the very old communication system.  
  
…………………………………..  
  
The Tenth Doctor shoved his own mobile phone into his pocket, well really Donna’s phone that she’d given him when he dropped her off for a week with her family. Swanic Eder was pacing next to him and fiddling with his hands. Behind him, he was aware of Doctor Matthews marching into the room and stopping suddenly by the door.   
  
“Doctor?” Matthews questioned slightly awed.  
  
The Doctor turned quickly to her and forced a quick grin. “Hello Samantha, don’t mind me, but I figured that I’d help clean up this mess before Rose dies for it.”  
  
“I thought… the message sent by Danielle said that you in the tunnels?”  
  
“Another me,” the Doctor answered with a shrug as he looked back at the transmat system that was stacked in the storeroom. “Time traveller remember.”  
  
“Of course,” Matthews breathed. “Uh… what do you need from us?”  
  
“Like I told Swanic, we can transmat the ship out of the tunnels with this,” the Doctor said gesturing to the large machine. “I just need some time, oh you’ll need to start making some room for me in here. If I remember correctly the ship is fourteen feet long and ten feet wide.”  
  
“Very well,” Matthews answered before she turned to Swanic. “I need a word with you Swanic,” she said tensely.  
  
“As you wish,” Swanic replied, moving away from the Doctor to join Matthews who was giving a quick order to one of the soldiers standing at the door to start adjusting the room.  
  
“What were you thinking?” Matthews demanded in a low voice.  
  
“You informed me that contact with my children had been lost and the TARDIS appeared,” Swanic told her in a low tone. “I’ve read all the files on the Doctor and know what his ship looked like. He told me that he could save my children and Miss Tyler while ensuring that the source of the radiation did not end up in the hands of our enemies, I took him up on his offer.”  
  
“You don’t have the authority for that,” Matthews reminded him.  
  
“If you wish to dismiss me I will not argue,” Swanic promised. “But please allow me to first make sure that Danielle and Michael are safe.”  
  
Doctor Matthew’s face softened and she sighed. “See if you can help him Swanic and if you can find out his plan beyond transmatting the ship back here. We still don’t know what has happened to Michael and Danielle.”   
  
“According to the Doctor, Michael and Danielle were outside the tunnels when the enemy caused a cave in,” Swanic admitted, swallowing thickly.   
  
Matthews sighed softly and looked towards the Doctor. “I will alert UNIT of the situation, Tyler is one of theirs and I’m not sure how to deal with the Doctor.” Turning her attention back to Swanic, Matthews nodded towards the Doctor and added, “Stay nearby and see that shielding is set up to receive this ship. I don’t want any more people becoming ill and I promise we’ll do everything we can to get the twins back safely. After all,” she added gently, “They are American citizens.”  
  
Swanic’s shoulder visibly relaxed and his eyes lightened a tiny bit as he gave Matthews a quick nod. Turning on his heel, Swanic returned to the Doctor and tried to watch what he was doing. He offered his help but wasn’t surprised when the Doctor gave him very limited instruction and ordered him to open one of the side panels, but touch nothing.  
  
Doctor Matthews straightened her blouse and suit jacket as a group of men came in with a forklift and began to slowly shift the items in storage around. Leaving the room, she headed up the long corridor from the storage facility to the small underground train. She reached the main dome and sent a medical team down to storage to wait for the ship to be transmatted in if it worked. Matthews had her doubts, she’d heard of the Doctor of course and this was the same Doctor who had forced Section 13’s reorganisation, but something here seemed very off. When she reached her office, she quickly checked the time in England, it was late, but she could be forgiven and sent a call through to the UK UNIT commander, Brigadier General Benton.  
  
“Hello Brigadier General Benton,” Matthews greeted formerly when the call was successfully placed. “This is Doctor Matthews from Section 13, we haven’t spoken before, but your agent Rose Tyler is at my base working on a case.”  
  
“Yes,” Benton replied calmly, sounding a touch tired. “What can I do for you, Doctor Matthews?”  
  
“I’m calling to inform you that the operation has come under fire from the Black Sun, according to the Doctor.”  
  
“Black Sun,” Benton repeated. “Bloody hell! And the Doctor is there? Is Rose in danger?”  
  
Matthews blinked at the rapid change in tone and line of questioning. “That is the thing, sir, according to the Doctor working in my base Miss Tyler is alive, but suffering from radiation sickness, but he is also with her.”  
  
“I trust you know about the Doctor’s multiple forms and time travel?” Benton asked.  
  
“Yes I do,” Matthews answered him, “It is something of a legend on Earth. Does he really mean that two versions of himself are here?”  
  
“I’d say that is exactly what he means,” Benton replied slowly sounding worried and shocked. “Be careful Matthews, the Doctor actively avoids crossing his own timeline. If he has chosen to come to the area despite this it means that either the universe is in danger or…” Benton chuckled softly, “Or that Rose is in danger. Either way, I suggest giving him the help he needs. Despite being a protector of Earth and friend of humanity in general, he is not someone you want angry with you personally.”  
  
“I see,” Matthews agreed hesitantly. “Is there anything you can tell me about Black Sun?”  
  
“Not much,” Benton told her. “They attacked an English based alien operation recently with a group of agents who all killed themselves when their mission failed. An earlier attack against UNIT was not so smoothly carried out so I am of the opinion that they are becoming more organised and more dangerous. They don’t hesitate to kill their own species in their quest for alien technology. Beyond that, I’m afraid we don’t have any information on leadership or agendas.”  
  
“Could they be connected to the black market?” Matthews asked quickly.  
  
“Potentially,” Benton replied, “But so far we haven’t been able to make a firm connection between Black Sun and any of our suspects in the black market.” Benton paused and added, “I wish I had more information for you, but UNIT hasn’t had much luck with tracking them thus far.”  
  
“Any advice for dealing with the Doctor?” Matthews asked quickly before the call ended.  
  
“Like I said, give him what he wants and take the advice he gives you. He’s smarter than anyone you’ve got there.” Benton hesitated before adding, “The Doctor has a strong personal interest in Rose Tyler, their personal histories are very mixed up so make sure she is well taken care of.”  
  
Matthew frowned at the phone as the call ended, Benton’s tone had been odd there at the end. Almost amused and worried at the same time. The intercom on her desk beeped loudly and Swanic’s voice came through loudly. “Matthews the Doctor has the transmat working, but warns that it will only work once, maybe twice at the most.”  
  
“Can he locate the ship?” Matthews asked.  
  
“Yes he has a signal,” Swanic reported. “And we have a shield dome set up and everyone is getting changed into radiation suits. The Doctor says that his … other self has switched off the engine so it isn’t producing as much radiation as it was before. The medical team is standing by for Tyler.”  
  
“Good, bring that ship here and make sure that Tyler is taken care of. Once she is stable we will speak with the …. Doctors about what happened and how to retrieve the twins.”  
  
Standing from her desk, Matthews moved quickly towards the doorway to head downstairs to the medical wing where Tyler would be brought as soon as she was taken out of the ship. She just hoped that the transmat worked properly, she did not have a lot of faith in such an old system.


	47. Tale of Two Time Lords: What Next?

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Forty-Seven: Tale of Two Time Lords: What Next?  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
………………  
  
The Ninth Doctor grit his teeth and roughly twisted a knob on the controls of the ancient ship before he pounded down on a button. Letting out a frustrated snort, the Doctor kicked the controls twice and shoved a lever into an upright position. Behind him he could hear Rose taking in slow and pained breaths that only aggravated him. He knew, of course, that things were probably going to turn out okay. That was a side effect of having multiple versions of himself in one place and he had a strong feeling that his future self would have done a lot more than give a simple booster if she was in real risk of dying. At least he assumed that but who knew how far down the regeneration line this one was.   
  
The Ninth Doctor turned and used the sonic screwdriver to resonate the shielding metal again before letting his eyes move to Rose. She didn’t look good which made him turn back to the controls to distract himself from a rush of worry. Of course, it was just worry for a companion or future companion, he told himself sharply. That was totally natural and even good because he was the Doctor.  
  
The controls were in slight disarray at this point with a section that had started to disintegrate away, now pulled completely off with the tiny wires and mechanisms exposed. To the Doctor’s knowledgeable eyes it didn’t look good, but he lowered the sonic screwdriver in and pulled out a few paperclips from his pocket. It took four paperclips, two five pence coins that he wasn’t sure where he got them and solid whack to get a spark of light it the control. Grinning manically, the Doctor pulled on the lever again, pounded down a knob and smashed a button. The communication system came on, alien lettering scrolling left across the screen which only made the Doctor’s grin more manic.  
  
“Ha,” he laughed with triumph as he turned on the broadcast system and boosted the signal. The screen went white to allow him to write whatever he wanted on it. Reaching for it automatically, the Doctor quickly traced a circular symbol and sent it before he properly realized what he had written. A moment later a few symbols appeared on the screen, indicating they had come from another source. The Doctor glared at the reply and snorted, “Big ears? Really? That’s the best you’ve got.”   
  
The Doctor was still grumbling to himself as he felt an energy field building around the ship. Turning away from the controls, the Doctor knelt beside Rose, placing a hand on her shoulder to steady her in case the transmat was rough. He could feel the extra heat coming off her body through the fabric of her t-shirt, far more than she should have been generating. Under normal circumstances, he would have estimated she had a very high fever, but he knew it was much more serious than that. Hopefully, the other Doctor had a medical team standing by, but then that was what he would do and regeneration could be really tricky. Then again, Rose apparently knew him well enough to have the occasional meal with. Granted he’d had breakfast with her once and tea with her another time, but they hardly made a habit out of it. He frowned, her comfort with future versions of him could be a problem.  
  
The ship shuddered and the banging noises from the people outside vanished with a lot of shouting. Rose gave a whimper as the ship lurched and the Doctor grabbed her head with his other hand, shifting closer to her. Without thinking, he made a soft comforting sound as the transmat energy encased the ship. He promised her that it was going to be okay with a soft whisper, a promise he hadn’t dared to make in a long long time.  
  
A moment later the doorway of the ship slid open, well more like groaned open due to the indents from Black Sun’s banging, but the Doctor didn’t have to look up to see who it was. The only way to override the door would have been a sonic device and his was in his pocket and he assumed that Rose had hers in one of her pockets. When the other man knelt next to him and reached for Rose, the brush in his mind finally made his look over at the other Time Lord, even it was more than a little disappointing.  
  
Definitely a pretty boy, he decided. Wild brown hair, young features and wearing a pinstripe brown suit with trainers. It didn’t inspire confidence. But in his favour, the future incarnation of himself was examining Rose carefully with a look of concern and determination. A pair of black rimmed glasses were on his face that the Doctor doubted he needed, but softened what probably would have been a very angry expression.  
  
“I thought you gave her a booster?” he demanded, reverting to his irritated state.  
  
“I did,” his other-self snapped without looking away from Rose. “But she was only a few feet from the source of the radiation.” Brown eyes met his current blue ones. “Would it have killed you to move her into the cockpit?”  
  
“You really think two feet would have made a difference?” He shouted, his eyes flashing a warning.  
  
“Boys,” Rose groaned softly, her brown eyes fluttering open, but they were very red and glassy. “You’re both brilliant,” she assured them with a tiny pained smile. Her eyes moved to the brown haired Doctor. “Hi,” she greeted softly before her eyes closed again.  
  
The Ninth Doctor moved before his other self could, scooping Rose up gently and standing up. The other Doctor nodded briskly and gestured towards the doorway where he found a stretcher and several medical doctors waiting in protective radiation gear. Rose was placed on it and two of the medical technicians sprang into action putting a breathing apparatus over her mouth and wheeling her over to another little radiation shielded bubble set up nearby the ship.   
  
“She’ll be fine,” the brown haired Doctor promised as he stepped up next to his earlier self, rocking on his feet slightly, holding Rose’s mobile in his hand. “So I’ll look after her and you help Section 13 deal with this little crisis since Rose is out of commission.”  
  
“Why me?” the blue-eyed Doctor demanded. “You actually know about them, doesn’t it make more sense for you to do it.”  
  
“I have experience treating Rose,” the brown haired Doctor replied with a slight shrug. “You don’t.”  
  
Without waiting for a reply, the brown haired Doctor strolled past the technicians and into the small medical bubble, leaving his past self with a medical technician who clearly wanted him to go into the decontamination chamber that had been set up. However, the blue-eyed Doctor indulged in a moment of glaring at his future self’s back.   
  
“Uh sir,” the technician quietly tried. “Decontamination?”   
  
“This sort of radiation doesn’t affect me like you,” he shrugged, “You lot panic about lead painted toys, you’d have a heart attack at what I played with.”  
  
“Are you sure?” the technician asked nervously.  
  
“Certain,” he answered with a sharp nod while giving a quick glance at his vanishing future self. Grinning manically he said, “Take me to your leader.”  
  
………………………………  
  
Doctor Matthews strode back into the large storehouse that had undergone a massive transformation in the past half an hour with several radiation chambers set up, one large one around the ship, one for medical use and the smallest serving as a decontamination chamber. An unfamiliar man in a leather jacket was talking to a couple of the technicians that had been sent to inspect the ship when it arrived and confirm that it was not a threat. One of them looked over at her, gratitude apparent in their entire body. They pointed the man towards her and he turned to face her. Matthews gripped the tablet in her hand a little tighter but strode forward with as much confidence as she could.  
  
Section 13 had information on the Doctor, he was a rather important figure in human history, if an elusive one, but Matthews didn’t feel ready to meet this Doctor. The other one had been friendly and completely at ease with her for reasons she didn’t understand. This one was studying her with sharp blue eyes that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.  
  
“Hello Doctor,” she greeted with a professional expression. “I am Doctor Samantha Matthews, the Head of Section 13.”  
  
“Apparently you need my help on something,” the Doctor replied with a note of impatience. “What is it?”  
  
“Tyler followed your tracks from your ship in the desert into the tunnel with two of my people, but apparently Black Sun had gotten a lock on the radiation source. They attacked, causing a cave-in that trapped you and Tyler, but left two of my people at their mercy. When backup forces arrived they were already gone with signs of struggle. I can only assume that Black Sun took them.”  
  
“Why would they take a pair of humans?” the Doctor questioned. “Information?”  
  
“Possibly, Danielle and Michael Donovan are very well informed about our infrastructure and project, but they aren’t completely human.”  
  
The Doctor looked much more interested now and Matthews took some heart from that. “Their father is Swanic Eder from the planet Viligrid, one of our scientists. We are very confident that Black Sun has links to the alien black market on Earth and I don’t want to see a pair of kids that I’ve known since they were five auctioned off for god know what purpose!” She snapped the last part a bit more harshly than she intended to, but the Doctor actually smiled a tiny bit.  
  
“Well then,” he replied with a nod. “Let me see what you have on them. Have you sent out anyone to try and get the ones who were in the tunnels?”  
  
“Yes, but we haven’t heard back from them,” Matthews told him, “We only just located the entrance that they used.”  
  
“Right then,” the Doctor answered thoughtfully, “What tracking equipment do you have? Better yet what kind of radiation detection do you have?”  
  
“Radiation detection?” Matthews repeated. “Surely they would have been protective clothing.”  
  
“I’m sure they were, but I didn’t turn around to look closely. This kind of radiation affects everything around it. Even if they took measures to protect their own bodies anything they wore is going to have traces. If we’re lucky I may be able to pick it up and track it, but you’ll need to let them escape so call off your people in the tunnels.”  
  
“So we can follow them to a base,” Matthews finished with a surprised and hopeful expression. “Alright, Doctor, UNIT trusts your plans so we’ll give it a try.”  
  
“Talked to UNIT did you?”  
  
“Just got off the phone with Brigadier General Benton,” Matthews answered as she gestured for him to follow her before stopping and turning to him. “Wait does this mean your clothing is radiated too?”  
  
“Nope,” the Doctor answered quickly, “I have a lot more control over things like that. I absorbed it all.”  
  
Matthews gave him a stunned look over, but slowly nodded and led him out of the room towards the computer centre. Watching the radiation monitor near the doorway. Sure enough, it didn’t register a thing as the Doctor walked by.   
  
……………….  
  
The brown-haired Doctor was fiddling with the IV that one of the medical technicians was latching onto the needle in Rose’s arm. He would have preferred to treat her in the TARDIS medical bay, but he wasn’t going to have any of this lot in his precious TARDIS. Still, they’d all be professional and hadn’t argued when he’d made the treatment mixture himself that was in with the IV.   
  
“What about the potential mutations?” one of the technicians asked, her name was Doctor Summers.   
  
“The mutations only appear through long-term exposure, Rose wasn’t exposed for very long, just at a high level.”  
  
“It’s amazing that she’s alive,” Dr Summers breathed as she studied the readout chart. “And already showing such signs of improvement.”  
  
“I cheated a bit,” the Doctor answered as he looked down at Rose’s face. They’d removed the mask when her breathing had evened out at his insistence. He hated seeing her strapped to too many machines; it always reminded him of how fragile she could really be. “Time travel makes stacking the odds possible,” he added with a cheeky grin.  
  
Dr Summers gave a slow nod and checked the IV bag. “I’ll have more of the formula made up and delivered to the patients in Vegas to be on the safe side.”   
  
“I’ll stay here,” the Doctor replied without looking at Summers. “I think she’ll wake up soon,” he observed with a small smile. “Her left cheek is twitching a tiny bit, that’s usually a sign she’s going to wake up.”  
  
Dr Summers shook her head slightly and walked away from the Doctor and Rose, glancing back just once and warning the other technician that she was leaving for the lab. The Doctor leaned down on the metal supports of the medical bed and sighed softly.  
  
“I hate this part,” he admitted, “It’s always terrible waiting for you to wake up after something like this even when I know that you’re going to be okay.” He chuckled and leaned closer to Rose, whispering like he was sharing a secret, “Big ears me is trying to focus on the Donovans, but he can’t help but wonder about all of this. Driving him mad in fact. How did you meet me? How often do we see each other? What’s our relationship?” he asked the last one with a small wiggle of his eyebrows. “But don’t worry Rose, we sort things out in the end.” His expression turned a little sad now, “At least I think we do. Still waiting for that last Bad Wolf message to come through.”   
  
“Bad Wolf,” Rose whispered in a soft voice as she stirred. “Always Bad Wolf.” Her eyes fluttered open slowly and she took three deep breaths.   
  
“Rose,” the Doctor called gently from beside her.   
  
She turned her head towards him and smiled warmly. “Hello Doctor,” she greeted before she frowned. “Wasn’t it the earlier you…”  
  
“We’re both here,” the Doctor explained, realising that she didn’t really remember anything from earlier. “He’s with Matthews working on finding the Donovans and I’m looking after you.” He pulled her phone out of her pocket and set it down by her hand. “Grabbed this for you, he left it on the controls,” he added with a slight scoff.  
  
“I thought you only met yourself during really serious emergencies.”  
  
“This was an emergency,” the Doctor argued in a low voice. “Rose you could have died. The only reason you’re doing alright is I put a booster against the radiation in your breakfast.”  
  
“Oh,” Rose said with a thoughtful look. “Timelines again huh?”  
  
“Isn’t it always?” the Doctor muttered with a huff. “Please tell me that I wasn’t really always that moody!”  
  
“I have limited experience with that incarnation,” Rose reminded him. “I haven’t travelled with him yet.”  
  
“Then allow me to apologise in advance for my moodiness,” the Doctor insisted. “I’m so sorry!”  
  
Rose gave a weak laugh, her chest aching from the movement. “I’m sure I’ll forgive you,” she promised. “So how is he doing with finding the Donovans?”  
  
“Not very good at the moment,” the Doctor confessed. “I remember that I’m supposed to go to him with some information, but I’m not sure what triggers that. Maybe it was you waking up and I should go now.” He paused and frowned, “Nope, still about a minute too early. Unless I walk really slowly.”  
  
Rose carefully pulled herself up into a seated position with the help of the bed controls, minding the needle in her arm. Suddenly her mobile rang and she reached for it automatically. A text message opened with one word: Geronimo.  
  
“Doctor,” Rose called with a wide smile taking over her face. “Go and tell yourself what he needs to know. Unless you want another incarnation joining the party.”  
  
A look of terror appeared on his face and the Doctor quickly turned and left the medical shell. He paused at the doorway to look back at Rose who just giggled and waved her phone in the air. Nodding, he left the bubble and headed off to tell his Ninth self what he remembered his Tenth self telling him back when he was him. Rose looked down at the phone as it beeped again with a text message, this one said: Love you, Darling.  
  
“I love you too,” Rose whispered before closing her phone and leaning back against the bed to get some rest.


	48. Tale of Two Time Lords: Security Breach

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Forty-Eight: Tale of Two Time Lords: Security Breach   
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
………………..  
  
The medical bubble wasn’t too uncomfortable. To Rose who had seen the UNIT medical centre, it was obviously apparent that she wasn’t in the proper hospital, but instead a temporary set up with machines on wheels and positioned all around her. Turning her head, Rose looked at the red IV drip that the Doctor had prepared for her. It had helped enough that as soon as they took her clothing to be decontaminated she’d been allowed to change into another set of her own clothes from her guest room.  
  
Rose sighed softly as she wondered if the Doctor was going to return or remain with his Ninth self. The Doctor had only taken her jewellery long enough to run it through decontamination, well everything but her bracelet which had turned to dust when the nurse tried to remove it. They’d called in a technician with a scanner to verify that it wasn’t dangerous.  
  
She was almost asleep, her eyelids feeling heavy and the aches in her body lessening with every heartbeat that she attributed to the Doctor’s medication moving through her system. Whatever medication the Doctor had given her, it was working wonders. The medical technicians around her were speaking softly in hushed, but marvelling tones that Rose recognised as that near hero worship that seemed to follow the Doctor’s little miracles. She just hoped that the recovery was fast and wouldn’t leave anything that her mum could pick up on. Plus she and the Doctor had a date. Her lips curved slightly at the thought and she released a contented sigh, letting her eyelids close.  
  
There were strange mumblings around her that roused Rose sometime later. Blinking, Rose tried to look around, slightly disoriented. “I don’t understand, why is she being moved?” One male voice asked, “We set up the medical centre here to take care of her.”  
  
“It’s not my orders,” another deeper male voice sighed, “I’m just supposed to take her to main medical.”  
  
“It’s probably because she’s stable,” a softer female voice offered. “Probably want to try and understand that medication the Doctor gave her.”  
  
“Probably,” the second male voice agreed, sounding bored.  
  
Rose was jostled as her bed was suddenly moved and opened her eyes. “Easy Miss Tyler,” someone said to her right and Rose turned to look at one of the medics. The woman smiled at her, “You’re being moved to the main hospital wing now that you are decontaminated and recovering.”  
  
Nodding, Rose forced herself to relax and watched as her IV was latched to the edge of the bed for easier transport. A man she didn’t get a good look at, moved around behind her head and began to slowly push the bed. One of the medical technicians held open the flap of the bubble, letting them through. The small corridor that led out of the bubble didn’t take them long to pass through and then Rose could see the ship. It wasn’t very large and didn’t look like much with chemical stains, heat burns and pitting in the metal shell, but technicians were already climbing all over the thing.   
  
Rose was still sleepy but did her best to watch where they were going as they headed down the corridor. It didn’t take long to reach the small train that was parked at the end of the hallway. The man who was standing behind the controls blinked in surprise at their arrival, causing Rose to frown. Her bed was pushed gently onto the train between a row of seats. There was a short gasp of pain that made Rose’s eyes fly back open and to the man who clutching at his chest with a taser tip pumping electricity into her. Raising her hand, Rose was about to summon her sword when a sharp prick in her neck made her tense up. Her vision blurred and Rose tried to fight it, bringing forth her sword, but her arm was too heavy and then everything went dark.  
  
…………………….  
  
Doctor Matthews stood at the side of the room staring in shock and irritation at the Doctor… well, Doctors as they argued in front of the controls, completely at a loss for how to deal with the situation. The younger looking brown-haired one was apparently the older of the two and kept reminding the blue-eyes leather jacket wearing one of that as they argued about how to narrow down the radiation trace.   
  
She had, of course, dispatched troops the moment the leather jacket Doctor had informed her that the Donovans were in Las Vegas. Then the brown-haired Doctor had arrived and told the other one how to narrow it down to the east side of town. After that it had turned into a competition of who could figure out a way to narrow it down to a ten-mile radius which the brown-haired Doctor had won and then the Ninth Doctor had narrowed it down to a five-mile radius. Section 13 was searching the area, but in Las Vegas, five miles could hide a great deal and she had a terrible feeling. Swanic was standing next to her with a horrified expression, waiting for one of the Doctors to manage to narrow things down even further.  
  
“Look, pretty boy,” the leather jacket Doctor all but growled, “If you’ve lived this before then surely you can come up with something better than that!”  
  
“But that’s the way to do this!” the Tenth Doctor argued, but Matthews thought he sounded a little uncertain. The other Doctor noticed and narrowed his eyes.  
  
“Don’t you remember this? You remembered it when you burst in here to lecture me!”  
  
“I did remember that,” the Tenth Doctor argued before trailing off slightly, “But this part is …. Fuzzy.”  
  
“Fuzzy?” the Ninth Doctor repeated. “Fuzzy?!”  
  
“Well that would be your fault wouldn’t it,” the brown-haired Doctor argued. “You’re not paying close enough attention!” Doctor Matthews frowned at the statement, worried about the implications and feeling a headache coming on. Both Doctors were silent for a moment and glaring at each other. “Fine!” the brown-haired Doctor huffed, “You take care of the Donovans and I’ll go and take care of Rose. Her cells will be mostly healed by now, she should just have energy deficiency now.”  
  
“Is that all,” the Ninth Doctor responded with a huff, “Energy deficiency can be very dangerous in humans.”  
  
“Yes, it can in the underdeveloped apes,” the Tenth Doctor snarked, stressing the last word, drawing a glare from the Ninth Doctor.  
  
Doctor Matthews looked between the two Doctors, at a loss of how to handle the fighting. Neither of them seemed particularly pleased with their fighting, but neither seemed willing to be the first to stop. She was seriously considering calling Benton in England despite the time difference for some tips on juggling Doctors when the phone rang on the wall. One of the Section 13 personnel picked it up and answered it calmly. Their face paled and Matthews turned to them in alarm, walking over with quick determined steps.  
  
“What is it?” she demanded, looking at the woman who had answered the phone.  
  
“Doctor Matthews, the train attendant was just found dead at the western car park along with the guards.”  
  
“Check all the security feeds,” Matthews ordered.  
  
“They just did and reported that the area cameras were set on a loop.”  
  
“Western car park?” the brown haired Doctor asked, moving over to them. “How close is that to the ship?”  
  
Matthews turned to the woman who was already asking to be connected to the warehouse. There was a tense moment of silence and Matthews risked a glance over at the other Doctor who was clearly listening but still making adjustments to the radiation scan. The woman on the phone swallowed and turned to Doctor Matthews, holding the phone out to her with a slightly shaking hand.  
  
“Ma’am,” she offered weakly, flinching back from the dark look on the Doctor’s face.  
  
“Report,” Matthews ordered. “I see,” she answered slowly. “Get a full statement and find how they took over the security system. Send soldiers to Brown’s home, I want his phone records and financials frozen. You have fifteen minutes.”  
  
“What?” the brown-haired Doctor asked, his eyes dark and his face frightening.  
  
“Doctor,” she started slowly, gathering her courage, “The train attendant and guards at the western car park have just been found dead. Witnesses at the storage centre report that the only event in the last fifteen minutes was Rose Tyler being ordered moved to the central hospital.” Matthews swallowed, “No such order was given. I’m afraid that I must assume that a security breach has taken place and that Rose Tyler has been kidnapped by Black Sun.”   
  
“What?” the blue-eyed Doctor snapped, stalking over to them. He turned on his future incarnation, “Why didn’t you do something!”  
  
“I don’t remember this,” the brown-haired Doctor argued. “Something is off with the timelines!”  
  
“Two of us together! It’s bound to cause some anomalies,” the Ninth Doctor growled. “You should have been more careful and now Rose is who knows what kind of danger.”  
  
The Tenth Doctor’s face darkened and he nodded in agreement. “You’re right about that,” he answered darkly. “We have to find her.”  
  
“What about the Donovoans?” Matthews interrupted, “Could they be in the same place.”  
  
“Possible,” the Tenth Doctor replied, “But unlikely, the Donovans were probably grabbed at the spur of the moment, but kidnapping Rose, that took planning and inside help.” He turned his brown eyes to Matthews, “Start checking your people and make sure you don’t have any more traitors waiting to stab you in the back.” The Doctor turned back to his earlier incarnation just as the computer scanner behind them beeped, bringing up a one block map of Las Vegas. “At least some of the Black Sun troops went here,” the Doctor told Matthew.  
  
“Good luck,” the Ninth Doctor told Swanic before looking at his future self. “How do we find Rose?”  
  
Pulling out his sonic screwdriver, the Tenth Doctor held it up and said, “Rose’s ring is distinct on Earth. We should be able to find her using it.”  
  
“Should?” the Ninth Doctor echoed.  
  
“Well, if they don’t have her in any kind of shielding,” the Tenth Doctor answered quickly, not hiding his worry.  
  
……………………………….  
  
Consciousness was difficult to achieve, as Rose struggled to open her eyes and make sense of the sounds and smells around her. Wherever she was, it smelled sterile and there were soft footfalls behind her. Her vision was blurry, but Rose quickly became aware that she was strapped into some kind of solid chair. Carefully shifting her arm muscles, Rose tried to move, but her arms were held fast to the armrests on either side of her. Some kind of metal ring was holding her head still, meaning she couldn’t even turn her head. Fear rose up quickly within her and it was all Rose could do to hold off the flood of panic that was threatening to overwhelm her. Counting slowly to calm down, Rose slid her eyes closed in order to appear unconscious. She listened as the person behind her came closer.  
  
“I know you’re awake Tyler,” a deep male voice said, breaking the silence. “I know you well enough by this point.”  
  
They moved around in front of her and Rose debated revealing that he was right. She did nothing for a moment and then suddenly a small metal object was placed against her bare arm. A sharp jolt of electricity burst through Rose’s body and she jerked against her restraints, releasing a small scream of pain. The metal was pulled away and Rose gasped for air.  
  
“Now you are certainly awake,” the voice declared, sounding far too amused. Opening her eyes, Rose looked up at a Hispanic man that she had never seen before. He was watching her with dark eyes and smirking at the confusion that must have shown on her face. “Rose Tyler,” he whispered, leaning forward onto the armrests of her prison chair so they were nose to nose. “Lovely to see you again.”  
  
“You have me at a disadvantage,” Rose replied as calmly as she could, mentally wondering if she’d be able to stab him if she summoned her blade. “We haven’t met.”  
  
“Yes we have,” he told her, smiling much more widely now. “Of course I was in a different body then. Having no true corporal form requires me to change my look every so often.” Then his dark brown eyes turned silver with no iris making Rose gasp sharply.  
  
“Silver Lord,” she breathed in horror.  
  
“Yes my dear,” he smirked. “As I said lovely to see you again.”  
  
Before Rose could react, he leaned forward and sealed his lips over her. Her restraints left her unable to fight back so Rose bit his lip as hard as she could, but he didn’t react to the attack. Blood dripped into her mouth and Rose summoned her sword on instinct, but the Silver Lord’s position directly in front of her meant that the sword couldn’t reach him. When he released her mouth, the Silver Lord leaned back, blood dripping from his bottom lip and highlighting his teeth when he grinned.  
  
“I’m going to enjoy this,” he told her darkly. “Finally time to have some fun.”  
  
He reached to the side, stepped effortlessly around Rose’s sword and out of her line of sight. Holding her breath, Rose desperately tried to listen for any movement. A sharp pain in her neck made her flinch and she felt the pinch of a needle which only made her more frightened.  
  
“Now,” the Silver Lord cooed. “You’re going to be a good girl and answer my questions now. Every single one.”  
  
…………………………………..  
  
  
“Isn’t it working?” the Ninth Doctor snapped, watching his Tenth form fuss with the sonic screwdriver.   
  
Doctor Matthews was standing at the right side of the room, speaking on the phone with several of her people who were in the field working to retrieve the Donovans. Swanic was beside her, hanging on every word and under different circumstances, the Doctor would have been as well. He didn’t know the Donovans of course but had obvious concerns about a pair of young kids being exposed to danger and potential xenophobia. At the moment, however, he kept glaring at his future self, despite knowing that the older Doctor was doing everything he could to find Rose.  
  
“She’s already been shielded,” the Tenth Doctor hissed, anger clear in his voice which left his earlier form to recognise that he was observing the Oncoming Storm.   
  
For his part, he was trying to calmer and more collected than this pretty boy, but nagging questions about Rose and her knowledge of this later incarnation. Of course, he was brilliant and a very simple reason kept coming forward in his head only to have him smack it back as ridiculous. The difference in species and the age gap made that line of thinking foolish, not to mention what had happened in the Time War. Then there was the problem with that potential reason, it raised a terrible question about where the future Rose was.  
  
“I don’t know how to find her,” the Tenth Doctor suddenly announced a strange look on his face before looking sharply at his Ninth self. “Have you seen or heard anything Bad Wolf today?”  
  
“Bad Wolf?” he repeated in confusion. “No, why?”  
  
“Nothing,” the Tenth Doctor answered before looking over at Matthews. “Anything yet?”  
  
“They have the building surrounded,” Matthews replied, “We’re ready to go in.”  
  
“Do you think she’s there,” the Ninth Doctor asked, crossing his arms.  
  
“No, but there may be clues,” the Tenth Doctor pointed out.  
  
“Thing is,” the Ninth Doctor suddenly remarked with a frown, “If they know to shield Rose from detection, then why didn’t they think about that for the radiation.” His blue eyes widened and he spun to shout at Matthews, “Pull your people back, it’s a trap!”


	49. Tale of Two Time Lords: Questions Only

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Forty-Nine: Tale of Two Time Lords: Questions Only  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
AN: This chapter has undergone some minor changes as I have retconned my original plan to use the War Doctor. Instead due to the many problems that I have with Day of the Doctor and other episodes that followed I came going to join the ranks of those who favour the Eighth Doctor as the one who fought in the war. There are no plot changes to the episode, but some of the dialogue has changed.   
……………………..  
  
The Tenth Doctor stared down at Rose’s mobile that one of the medical technicians had returned to him, apologising that it had been found on the table next to Rose. If she’d had it with her… no, it was doubtful that such a carefully planned kidnapping could have been achieved by someone stupid enough to leave the phone with her. He ran his thumb over it, studying it with a look of great concentration in hopes of an idea springing forth from his clever mind. The Tenth Doctor was aware of his Ninth form watching him and despite not remembering any of this, had a strong sense of the earlier man’s emotions.   
  
“Doctor,” Matthews called, causing him to turn and look at her. Across the room, at one of the scanners, his earlier self did the same. “The warning you gave was timely. Our team has just called in from the site and they are all alight, but the building was wired with enough explosives to take out the entire block. They found the radiated equipment piled up.”  
  
“Smart,” the Ninth Doctor grunted, displeasure clear on his face. “I hate it when they’re smart.”  
  
“We agree on that at least,” the Tenth Doctor muttered, slipping Rose’s phone into his pocket with a thoughtful expression. Looking at his earlier self, he frowned, “Wonder why you blocked these memories?”  
  
“Timelines probably,” the Ninth Doctor offered with a shrug, but without looking at his future self. “Multiple versions of us gets messy and better not to know.”  
  
“You’re still in the mourning stage,” the Tenth Doctor observed with a nod.  
  
“Aren’t you?” the Ninth Doctor asked, snapping his blue eyes to his future self.  
  
“No,” the Tenth Doctor answered with a small sigh, “I think about it from time to time, but I don’t let it consume my life. It’s hard to believe I know, but someday you’ll be able to look back on all of it and not want to…” He made a gesture with his hand and looked uncomfortable as Matthews looked at them in confusion. “You know.”  
  
“You’re right, that is hard to believe,” the Ninth Doctor answered with a frown. “Let’s focus on finding this Black Sun.”  
  
Suddenly, a wind rushed through the small room and a wheezing noise echoed in the space making both Doctors straighten sharply and turn. Just ahead of them, the outline of the TARDIS appeared, but a brighter blue than theirs had been years.   
  
“Oh no,” the Ninth Doctor muttered.  
  
“This can’t be good,” the Tenth Doctor groaned as the TARDIS finished materialising.  
  
“Doctor?” Matthews questioned with a glance at the two men who were both staring at the blue box.   
  
In one smooth movement, both reached into their pockets and pulled out nearly identical sonic screwdrivers.   
  
“Well,” the Tenth Doctor offered, “We may have an answer as to why I don’t remember this.”  
  
“Bloody hell,” the Ninth Doctor growled just as the TARDIS doors opened and a man younger than the two Doctors present stepped out with flyaway brown hair, green eyes and wearing a tweed jacket with suspenders stepped out with a wide grin.  
  
“Hello boys,” the new man greeted. “Fancy meeting you two here.”  
  
“Please tell me you’re a companion,” the Tenth Doctor remarked glancing the younger man over.  
  
“Why are we regenerating so young?!” the Ninth Doctor demanded. “Damn pretty boys,” he added with a shake of his head.  
  
“Young and pretty, that’s me,” the Eleventh Doctor agreed, rubbing his hands together, before looking over at the Tenth. “Still rude, but not ginger. Sorry to disappoint. But shall we focus on something else, something or rather someone far more important: Rose Tyler.”  
  
…………………………….  
  
Groaning, Rose forced her eyes to stay open and struggled to keep her mind clear. The Silver Lord watched her with a small smile and tossed her sonic pen into the air, catching it easily in his right hand. Blinking, Rose fought back the haze beginning to settle over her sense which only made the Silver Lord chuckle.  
  
“Come along Rose,” he told her. “Don’t fight it. I promise that it won’t help.”  
  
She bit her lip, trying to jolt herself back to full consciousness while glaring at the Silver Lord. The look which would have sent almost any human stumbling backwards only had the effect of making him smile.   
  
“You look different,” Rose managed, fighting the itching that seemed to be spreading over her body.  
  
“Naturally,” the Silver Lord replied with a mild shrug, setting the sonic pen down on the table next to him alongside a long empty syringe that worried Rose as she wondered just what had been in it. “I’m a being of energy, I don't have a physical form that you can understand. I’ve told you before that I have to take new bodies from time to time.” He leaned against the table, looking completely calm. “This body belongs to a very successful man who rose in the ranks of the Black Sun. He was just the sort of person that I needed, ideally placed for me to take over Black Sun.”  
  
“Then you’re their leader,” Rose sought to verify.  
  
“Yes I am,” the Silver Lord chuckled, “Mind you, they don’t properly understand that I’m not human. Of course, I turn my full mental powers on those I send out on missions, have to make sure that they don’t betray me.”  
  
Rose glared him but didn’t speak. “I took over, let’s see six months ago and I’ve been encouraging the troops to be a bit more aggressive.”  
  
“What for?” Rose questioned, “What does Black Sun do?”  
  
“Supplies the Black Market,” the Silver Lord answered calmly. “Someone has to. But that’s not my goal,” he added, trying his full attention back to Rose and observing with interest.  
  
“Then what is?” Rose asked, trying to remain calm at the expression on his face.  
  
“You’ll find out,” the Silver Lord answered. “Black Sun is just a convenient tool for now, but I’ll be vacating this body once we’re done here.”  
  
“What about this man?” Rose asked, a spark of concern flashing in her eyes.  
  
The Silver Lord laughed, tossing his head back. “Oh Rose Tyler, you really are too adorable. This man is a murderer, he’s killed plenty of people in the past to get the technology that he wanted from crash sites when civilians got there first. He’s manipulative, abusive to his wife and children while carrying on with one of his female agents.” The Silver Lord grinned, “Not that I blame him, that woman has got legs.”  
  
Deciding against replying, Rose tried to focus on taking in what she could see of the room. There wasn’t much to see, she was facing a plain white wall that was slightly textured, but could have been anywhere. The floor was poured cement, possibly an office building or unfinished basement. Of course, it could also be a small room in a warehouse. There was nothing on the walls or the floor to give her any clues and she realised with a start that the Silver Lord had stopped talking and was watching her.  
  
“Learn anything?” he teased with a smile that sent a shiver through Rose’s body, but barely showed due to her legs, head and arms being clamped into place. Again, Rose did not respond, leading to the Silver Lord sighing and making a show out of looking down at his watch. “Just another minute or so.”  
  
“What?” Rose asked, “Truth serum or something?”  
  
“Rose,” the Silver Lord replied, raising an eyebrow, “I’m a being of pure energy that can possess human beings and see everything in their minds, do you really think I’d use something as simple as a truth serum?”  
  
Tensing, Rose’s mouth went dry and she gripped the armrests of the chair tightly while trying to hide her sudden rush of fear. “Are you going to possess me?” She asked as bravely as she could, lifting her chin as much as the chair would allow.  
  
The Silver didn’t answer, forcing Rose to wait in the horrible silence of the room for his answer. “No,” he finally told her, “I can’t take your body over I’m afraid, Artron energy doesn’t agree with my hybrid nature. Condensing my energy form into your Artron energy soaked flesh would do damage.”  
  
Rose filed that away, feeling both relief that he wasn’t going to take over her body, but also fear as to why else he would bother to kidnap her from Section 13’s base. “Where are the Donovans?” Rose demanded. “Have you harmed them?”  
  
“Harmed no… but they are being studied by a few of Black Sun’s scientists. It’s not everyday that a human-alien hybrid is born. Well, not for few more centuries anyway.”   
  
Walking slowly, the Silver Lord moved out of Rose’s range of vision and on instinct, her breathing slowed as she tried to listen for his footsteps behind her. He moved slowly and deliberately, allowing each step to be heard clearly by Rose which only increased her fear. Clutching at the armrests, Rose fought back the elevation of fear to terror, unwilling to lose her ability to think.   
  
“What do you know about Torchwood’s Black Spot project?” the Silver Lord asked and Rose’s head ached at the sound of his smooth tones.  
  
“I’ve only heard it mentioned,” Rose answered before she could stop herself. She gasped and bit her lip, but the pain in her head grew stronger. “It’s Hartman’s pet project.”  
  
“Hmmm,” the Silver Lord intoned behind her, “The loss of their files to the Bad Wolf virus was an inconvenience. I had hoped that you had some information on it.” He paused and leaned against the back of the chair, making Rose tense. “No matter, next question: what is your favourite colour?”  
  
“Turquoise,” Rose answered with a look of confusion.  
  
“What is your favourite food?”  
  
“Chips,” Rose told him, growing more confused and still unable to stop herself from answering.  
  
“What is your favourite book?”  
  
“The Lord of the Rings trilogy,” Rose answered, her confusion growing as she heard the scratching of a pen on paper.  
  
“What is your favourite movie?”  
  
“It’s a tie between the original Time Machine and Back to the Future.”  
  
“What is your favourite song?”  
  
“To Make You Feel My Love,” Rose replied.  
  
“Gee, I wonder if that has significance to your relationship with the Doctor,” the Silver Lord remarked with an oddly cheerful tone before there was the scratch of a pen again.   
  
Rose clutched harder at the chair’s armrests, a new sense of dread creeping over her at the line of questioning. He moved beyond the easy favourites and turned to questioning her emotions about events in her life and her opinions on politics and public issues. For some reason unknown to her, the Silver Lord was creating a full profile on her personality which only made Rose wish harder for the Doctor to arrive.  
  
………………………..  
  
The Eleventh Doctor rolled his eyes as his two previous forms carefully stepped into his TARDIS, each of them watching him with concern. Despite the tension, he couldn’t help but smile and try to enjoy the rarity of meeting his other selves. Rose would be laughing at them all and he was both glad and sad that she wasn’t here.   
  
“You’ve redecorated,” the Tenth Doctor observed before frowning and adding, “I don’t like it.”  
  
“Yes, well my ship!” the Eleventh Doctor replied indigently. “Besides we should be grateful that we aren’t confusing the Old Girl!”  
  
“You shouldn’t be here,” the Ninth Doctor insisted, taking a quick look around at the bright and metal TARDIS. “Too many of us in one spot is dangerous.”  
  
“Not to mention confusing,” the Tenth Doctor added, rubbing his forehead. “I’ve already got a headache coming on.”  
  
“Oh come on we had five of us in one place and time before we managed just fine!” the Eleventh Doctor insisted as he hands flew through the air. “This isn’t so bad. Not really,” he added with a wide grin as he moved between the two other incarnations of himself. He tossed his arms over their shoulders.   
  
“I’d say someone shoot me,” the Ninth Doctor growled, glaring fiercely at his future selves as he shrugged off the Eleventh Doctor. “But then I’d regenerate into you.”  
  
“Let’s focus on getting Rose away from the Silver Lord,” the Tenth Doctor added with a dark hint in his voice.  
  
“Right fine then,” the Eleventh Doctor almost pouted as he bounced away from them. “Well this is going to be a bit easy and difficult at the same time,” he offered as his hands moved about.   
  
“Are you able to talk without flapping your hands around?!” the Ninth Doctor demanded, crossing his arms and glaring at the Eleventh Doctor.   
  
“Wow, we were moody then weren’t we?” the Eleventh Doctor asked, looking at the Tenth. “It’s a wonder Rose ever agreed to marry us.”  
  
“What?” the Ninth Doctor gaped with wide eyes. “Rose as in Rose Tyler?”  
  
“That’s the one,” the Eleventh Doctor answered, tossing his sonic in the arm and catching it with a grin. “But really, time to focus on getting her away from the Silver Lord.”  
  
“The Silver Lord,” the Tenth Doctor repeated with a deep frown, “He’s behind this.”  
  
“He has a rather unpleasant plan for Rose, mind you one of the more creative ways I’ve ever seen anyone try to stop the hero, but definitely better if we can get her back.”  
  
“If we get her back will that stop his plan?” the Tenth Doctor demanded, rushing up next to his future self. “Stop whatever the Silver Lord has planned for Rose?”  
  
“No,” the Eleventh Doctor answered slowly, his smiled fading, “No it won’t, but it will help her have a fighting chance.”  
  
“That’s no good enough,” the Ninth Doctor informed the Eleventh, stepping closer to the older two versions of himself.  
  
“This is her fight,” the Eleventh Doctor told them both before his smile returned. “But we can do our best to stack the deck. Cheat a little. Time Lord tricks, that sort of thing.”  
  
“Good,” the Tenth Doctor agreed, his expression deadly serious. “How do we find Rose? The Silver Lord has shielded everything on her. My TARDIS couldn’t detect the ring, her key or the sonic pen.”  
  
“Well there is something he hasn’t shielded,” the Eleventh Doctor informed them with a wide smile. “Rose Tyler’s DNA signature.”  
  
“It would take centuries to calculate that kind of search on a planet full of humans,” the Ninth Doctor huffed, “On any other world it might be possible, but on Earth, we couldn’t get an exact match.”  
  
But the Eleventh Doctor just smiled and looked over at the Tenth Doctor, “For the sake of timelines, I need you to wait outside for a bit.”  
  
“What?” the Tenth Doctor demanded.  
  
“Well what I’m about to do is a little bit of a cheat, a brilliant one that I inherited from you, but since you don’t actually create it I need you step outside.” When the Tenth Doctor made a move to argue, the Eleventh Doctor frowned at him and said, “Rose.” With a small huff and glance at his two counterparts, the Tenth Doctor moved to the door and vanished outside. “Right, that was awkward,” the Eleventh Doctor muttered before pulling out his own screwdriver with a gleaming green diode. “Now you using a strand of Rose’s hair you can start a calculation to find her and implant it to the sonic’s software and it will run for the time it needs.”  
  
The Ninth Doctor stared at the Eleventh Doctor and pulled out his sonic slowly, looking at it with new consideration. Meanwhile, the Eleventh Doctor darted over to his younger counterpart and located a long strand of blonde hair on his jumper. “Here’s a sample for you,” the Eleventh Doctor informed him. “Mind you there’s no shortage around here.”  
  
The Ninth Doctor opened his mouth to start asking a question before he shook his head slightly and scanned the hair. He pressed a seemingly random pattern of settings in the sonic and raised it to his ear. “Calculation started,” he said with a hint of awe.  
  
“Calculation complete,” the Eleventh Doctor announced, holding up his own sonic. Turning to the main TARDIS controls he slid his sonic screwdriver into a small hole and pressed a button. “And we have a trace!” He half danced to the doorway and opened it. “Come along sandshoes!” he called, “Time to go.”  
  
The Tenth Doctor reentered the TARDIS with a scowl and exchanged a look with his Ninth self as he set the coordinates in the controls. Joining his earlier incarnation, the Tenth Doctor studied the Eleventh as he moved around the controls.   
  
“I don’t think I like him,” the Tenth Doctor observed.  
  
“I don’t like either of you,” the Ninth Doctor replied, crossing his arms over his chest. “And I think it’s a good thing that I won’t remember this.”  
  
“Right,” the Tenth Doctor chuckled with a smile. “You’re still in denial about Rose Tyler.”  
  
“What could have possibly possessed you to become involved with a human? And such a young one at that?” the Ninth Doctor asked angrily as the TARDIS dematerialized.   
  
“I’m not the one who did,” the Tenth Doctor told him, giving him a small smile. “You could say that I inherited that relationship.”  
  
“What?!”  
  
“Oh yes,” the Tenth Doctor replied with a growing smile. “Can’t blame this one on me, it started with you.”  
  
“If you two are done gossiping,” the Eleventh Doctor called. “I’ve sent Matthews the coordinates so we should have just enough time to grab Rose and the Donovans before troops swarm the place.” The Eleventh Doctor hit another switch and muttered under his breath, “And on some levels, it started with our Eighth body… well or maybe Seventh, but you’ll learn about that down the timeline.”  
  
……………………  
  
Rose’s throat was beginning to ache from talking and the tightness of the clasp around her neck, but the Silver Lord kept asking questions and pacing behind her. The questions had been going on what seemed forever with the Silver Lord demanding information about her favourite dates with the Doctor and sexual history with him. It was only stubbornness that kept her from crying as the sense of violation became stronger and stronger. Oddly, it was the subject of his questions: the Doctor that gave Rose some additional strength. Suddenly the line of questioning stopped. Despite her best effort, Rose tensed up when the Silver Lord stepped up behind her and placed his hands on either side of her head.   
  
“That’s all I need,” he told her in a gentle tone, “But don’t fight me. This is going to hurt a bit, but it is necessary, sweetie.”  
  
Rose’s mouth opened in a silent scream as a rush of pressure against her head nearly caused her to black out. She was aware only of a sickening sensation spreading throughout her mind, clouding what small remaining senses she still had. Then everything went black and Rose welcomed it.


	50. Tale of Two Time Lords: Full TARDIS

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Fifty: Tale of Two Time Lords: Full TARDIS  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
……………..  
  
A groaning wheezing sound echoed down the long grey corridor lined with heavy metal doors. A moment later a wind ripped through the corridor as a blue police box appeared. There was a rush of footfalls and ten armed troopers in black spilt into the corridor, all of them raising their weapons towards the TARDIS door.  
  
“Oh,” the Eleventh Doctor huffed, “They were expecting us.”  
  
“The Silver Lord knows about us,” the Tenth Doctor muttered angrily as he looked at the viewing screen. He turned back to his counterpart, “Do you have a plan?”  
  
“As a matter of fact, I came prepared for this” the Eleventh Doctor announced triumphantly, digging into his pocket. He pulled out a yo-yo, a chain of paperclips and then a white bag which he grinned at. Holding it out to his counterparts, he kept searching with his free hand while the Ninth and Tenth Doctors each took a jelly baby without a word. “Got it!” the Eleventh Doctor cheered as he pulled out a small round metallic device roughly the size of a Jammie Dodger. “I knew I had it in there somewhere.”  
  
“Travinis Burst,” the Ninth Doctor remarked, looking begrudgingly impressed. “How you’d get one of those?”  
  
“I have my ways,” the Eleventh Doctor beamed.  
  
“Jack gave it to you didn’t he?” the Tenth Doctor asked, not looking impressed or surprised.  
  
“Maybe,” the Eleventh Doctor huffed before nodded, “Alright fine, yeah it’s one of Jack’s toys.”  
  
“Figures,” the Tenth Doctor sighed. “But it’ll take down this lot without hurting them and let us grab Rose and release the Donovans. Section 13’s search force will be here in seven minutes.”  
  
“I’ll get Rose, you two free the Donovans,” the Eleventh Doctor instructed.  
  
“Wait just-” the Ninth Doctor protested loudly.  
  
“Hold on-” the Tenth Doctor snapped at the same time.  
  
“Shush!” the Eleventh Doctor commanded, louder than he’d shouted before in front of his former selves. “Ssss!” He added, putting a finger to his lips. “I know what’s going on and won’t accidently make it worse,” the Eleventh Doctor told them both. “Now, the Donovans are in the lab just at the end of the corridor that way,” he announced spinning and pointing with his entire arm. “Good luck and all that.”  
  
The Ninth Doctor crossed his arms and watched as his future-self move to the door with the Travinis Burst and set his hand on the handle. “They’re going to open fire the moment that door opens,” the Ninth Doctor reminded him before shuddering. “Do I even need to mention New Year’s Eve 1999?”  
  
All three of them shuddered slightly and the Eleventh Doctor tossed the Travinis Burst lightly in his hand, catching it with a smirk. “I don’t need to be reminded and let’s just keep making sure the universe doesn’t know that a street gang with guns was enough to kill us once. The Sontarans would never let us live it down.”  
  
“In our defence,” the Tenth Doctor offered, rubbing the back of his neck. “That body was starting to wear a little thin.”  
  
“Just stay back,” the Eleventh Doctor told them, “I repaired the temporal grace system a few years back.”  
  
“Good, no weapons in the console,” the Ninth Doctor agreed with a nod. “But you haven’t fixed the chameleon circuit.”  
  
“Fix the?” the Eleventh Doctor gaped at his previous self. “Are you mad!?”  
  
“You like it as much as us,” the Tenth Doctor told the Ninth Doctor with an eye roll. “Let’s get on with this.”  
  
Nodding, the Eleventh Doctor opened the TARDIS door just the tiniest amount. Gunfire started immediately in the hallway, but he managed to slip the burst device through the crack sideways. It landed with a dull metallic thud and he quickly shut the door. The Ninth Doctor turned on the viewing screen in time to see a blast of light burst from the device and all the soldiers surrounding the TARDIS drop like stones.  
  
“That lots taken care of,” the Ninth Doctor told his counterparts who were already at the doorway. “Should be out long enough for Section 13 to handle them.”  
  
“And we’ll have Rose safely away from here,” the Eleventh Doctor insisted as he opened the door fully and stepped out into the corridor, careful not to step on anyone. The other two Doctors joined him a moment later, looking around carefully. Both gave the Eleventh Doctor a displeased look but headed off in the direction of the Donovans without a word. Wringing his hands, the Eleventh Doctor watched them go. “Probably should be worried about them ganging up on me,” he muttered before he turned on his heel and strode down the corridor the opposite direction.  
  
…………………………………….  
  
Gasping, Rose jerked forward, her eyes opening and panic flashing through her system. The restraints were tight against her seizing body and it was only the pain that stopped Rose’s movement. Trying to catch her breath and remember what was happening, Rose collapsed back against the heavy chair she was stuck in. Closing her eyes, Rose allowed everything to trickle back to the front of her mind. Then she became aware of a hand stroking her cheek. Rose opened her eyes and turned to see the Silver Lord leaning over her, touching her cheek with a smirk.  
  
“Welcome back,” he told her before glancing behind them. “Your Doctors are here.”  
  
Her heart jumped, but she tried to keep her expression neutral, uncertain as to what the Silver Lord had done to her and why. Instead of doing anything more, he calmly stepped back from her and rolled his shoulders. Stepping in front of Rose, he looked at her for a moment, still smirking.  
  
“See you soon sweetie,” he cooed, blowing a kiss.  
  
Rose was about to snap at him, her temper roused and the assurance that the Doctor was nearby helped her recover her courage despite being strapped to a chair. But then the Silver Lord began to glow and Rose’s words caught in her throat. The body before her shuddered and fell to its knees. Throwing back its head, the eyes glowed a strange white tinted with electric violet colour. There was a terrible scream and Rose had to close her eyes as the brightness in front of her became too much.  
  
It dimmed slightly and Rose dared to open her eyes. Floating above the body which was now collapsed on the floor was a strange non-corporal mass of light with a pair of wing-like protrusions on its back. The form shifted in front of Rose, shimmering in different colours, but never taking on a distinct shape. If Rose hadn’t known exactly who and what it was, she might have found it beautiful. The Silver Lord in his native form released a high pitched animalistic cry before vanishing, the air rippling around it.   
  
There was a crash behind her that sounded like a door being thrown open and Rose clutched at the chair until her Eleventh Doctor came rushing forward to her side. “You’re here too?” Rose asked, confusion and exhaustion weighing heavily on her.  
  
“Me too,” the Eleventh Doctor agreed with a smile that was a bit too forced for Rose to believe. Gently, he began to undo the restraints. When her hand was freed, he raised it to his lips and kissed it gently, his eyes meeting hers. There was sorrow in his eyes that he couldn’t hide from her and despite knowing she was safe at that moment, fear churned in her stomach.  
  
“The Donovans?” Rose asked, her voice soft and low.  
  
“My other selves are getting them,” the Doctor assured her. “Don’t worry, the scientists in the labs take off running when they realise that the soldiers are all down.”  
  
“Not even a fight?” Rose questioned, surprise and concern on her face.  
  
“I think that Section 13 and UNIT will find that Black Sun has very few loyal scientists. What they have are people they’d kidnapped or are holding their families hostage,” the Doctor remarked darkly. “Don’t have to worry about those people double crossing you since they’re worried about staying alive.”  
  
“That’s horrible,” Rose whispered as the last restraint on her left hand came off and the Doctor kissed it gently as well.   
  
“Not nice people, don’t worry they’ll be out of business in the near future.”  
  
“That’s a relief,” Rose muttered, “Is that a you thing, a me thing or a someone else thing?”  
  
“That’s a I’m not going to tell you thing,” the Doctor replied as he freed her final foot.   
  
Standing up, he held a hand out to Rose which she gratefully took. She stumbled, her legs shaking at her own weight. The Doctor caught her gently and let her lean against him as Rose carefully straightened out her legs and waited for them to get used to moving again.  
  
“I’m alright,” Rose told him before she amended the statement to, “I’ll be alright.”  
  
“I know,” the Doctor replied, kissing her hair gently as he held her. “I know Darling.” Rose shifted slightly and sighed in relief as her legs held and feeling returned to them. “Can you walk?” the Doctor asked softly.  
  
“If you want I can run,” Rose told him, looking up at him with a weary, but honest smile.  
  
“That’s my girl, but let’s stick to walking for now,” the Doctor told her as he reached over and picked up the sonic pen from the table. “This is yours I believe?”  
  
She accepted it and slipped it into her pocket, grateful that she could feel the weight of her translator and her jewellery. But once again it brought up the question of why the Silver Lord had captured her at all if he didn’t do anything. Then Rose remembered the deeply personal questions and barely kept herself from shuddering. They entered a long corridor filled with unconscious troops and the TARDIS standing under a bright hanging light. Smiling genuinely, Rose stayed at the Doctor’s side as he unlocked the door. There was a sound of crashing down the corridor and Rose tensed.  
  
“It’s just Section 13,” the Doctor promised her as he pushed open the door. “Not to worry.”  
  
Stepping inside the TARDIS, Rose stretched out her muscles and watched the Doctor as he adjusted some controls. A moment later the door banged open and the Ninth Doctor stormed inside, an irritated look on his face. Rose raised an eyebrow, but he didn’t seem to notice her for a moment. The Tenth Doctor followed him in, looking just as irritated, but also a little amused.  
  
“Damn Section 13,” the Ninth Doctor growled. “Not even a thank you, just demands for a debrief and arguing.”  
  
“Then Michael and Danielle are safe?” Rose asked from her spot beside the console, attracting the attention of both Doctors.  
  
“Yes,” the Tenth Doctor answered quickly, his eyes focused on Rose. He crossed the console room in a few long strides and cupped her face gently. “They’re safe,” he promised. Rose knew he was looking at the bruising on her neck and forehead from the restraints. Sighing sadly, he leaned forward and brushed a soft kiss to her forehead. “And you’re safe,” he breathed.  
  
“Yes,” Rose agreed, looking at his brown eyes. “I’m safe, thank you.”  
  
Turning her attention to the Ninth Doctor, Rose gave him a small smile and shrug. It took her a moment to figure out something to say. “Sorry about the time line drama,” she apologised.  
  
The Ninth Doctor’s lips twitched into a small smile despite himself. He didn’t say anything, just giving Rose a quick and uncomfortable nod. Beside Rose, the Tenth Doctor shook his head at his previous self and wrapped an arm around her waist, keeping her steady as the TARDIS dematerialized.   
  
None of the Doctor’s spoke as each other adjusted the controls slightly with the Eleventh Doctor remaining in control of their flight. Rose was too lost in through to say anything and focused on the warmth of her Doctor’s arm around her even as he twisted a knob with his free one. They landed smoothly a moment later surprising Rose.   
  
Next, to her, the Tenth Doctor caught her expression and explained, “The TARDIS is designed to be flown by six people so every additional pilot makes things smoother.”  
  
“It helps when you learn to fly,” the Eleventh Doctor added.  
  
“She learns to fly the TARDIS?” the Ninth Doctor asked, clearly surprised. The other two Doctor each gave him a look and he nodded with resignation. “I’m the one who teaches her to fly the TARDIS.”  
  
The Ninth Doctor looked over at Rose and her brown eyes met his icy blue ones. He was conflicted, that much was clear. Giving him a small smile, Rose tried to silently tell him that it was going to be okay, but her own exhaustion made her wonder how effectively she did this. The Ninth Doctor looked away from her towards the Eleventh Doctor.  
  
“So how do we deal with the timelines?” he asked.  
  
“You have to forget,” the Eleventh Doctor answered. “Sorry and you,” he announced as he pointed at the Tenth Doctor. “You have to leave it alone.”  
  
“Leave it alone!?” the Tenth Doctor repeated loudly. “Clearly someone has dangerous plans for Rose.”  
  
“Yes someone does,” the Eleventh Doctor agreed, gesturing towards Rose. “But you’ll just have to trust in her abilities and remember this in the future.”  
  
“How bad is it?” the Ninth Doctor questioned, crossing his arms in front of him and glaring at the Eleventh Doctor along with his Tenth self.  
  
“Now you get along,” the Eleventh Doctor grumbled before sighing loudly. “Look it isn’t good, I admit to that, but trust me you don’t want to risk the timeline.” He smiled cheerfully and waved his hands about as he added, “Things turn out pretty good in the end.”  
  
Rose frowned as she looked at the Eleventh Doctor and resisted the urge to ask what was about to happen. The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed them down. Looking down at her clasped hands, she licked her lips nervously.  
  
“Rose,” the Tenth Doctor called, making her look up at him as his grip tightened around her. “Are you okay with this?”  
  
Blinking at the unexpected question, Rose looked over at the Eleventh Doctor who was standing patiently and watching her with a soft expression. “I trust you, Doctor,” Rose answered, smiling at the Eleventh Doctor and looking back at the Tenth and Ninth Doctors. “Always will. Things will work out,” she told them, soundly braver than she actually felt.  
  
The Ninth Doctor studied Rose without a word. It was moments like this that reminded her how little she knew and understood this incarnation. Finally, the Ninth Doctor nodded and closed his eyes. “Alright,” he agreed, “I’ll hide the memories of the middle bit.”  
  
Smiling, Rose stepped forward and before she could change her mind, she leaned up and kissed his cheek quickly. He didn’t move to stop her or react badly to the kiss but instead gave her a long look. Rose fought the urge to squirm under his intense blue gaze, but after a moment he sighed softly and nodded. Turning away from her, he walked to the TARDIS door and vanished without another word.  
  
“Moody,” the Eleventh Doctor grumbled, gesturing at the door. “Very moody.”  
  
The Tenth Doctor raised an eyebrow and studied his future self before sighing softly and shaking his head. His eyes went to Rose who gave him the best smile she could manage.  
  
“I’ll be along in a moment,” she promised him, ignoring the way he glanced back at his future self.  
  
“I’ll move the TARDIS closer,” he replied with a nod before he let his arm drop and left the TARDIS. “I’ll hide the memories later,” he added before closing the door.  
  
“Irritating, but not bad blokes,” the Eleventh Doctor observed with a smile, leaning against the console.  
  
“If you do say so yourself,” Rose teased, stepping up next to him.  
  
“If I do say so myself,” he agreed with a soft smile, his green eyes bright, but worried. “How are you, Rose?”  
  
“Scared,” Rose admitted softly, nearly a whisper. “I don’t remember what he did to me and that frightens me, but knowing that it is just part of a larger plan…. It scares me.”   
  
The Eleventh Doctor reached for Rose, drawing her close. He gently kissed her forehead and wrapped her in a gentle hug. “If it helps, I worry too, even though I know how it unfolds and ends.”  
  
“Tell me that I’ll be alright,” Rose begged before she could stop the question.  
  
His long fingers tilted her chin up so their eyes met and Doctor smiled at her. “You’ll be wonderful,” he promised, “So much better than alright.”   
  
The Doctor kissed Rose’s forehead, raising a hand to stroke her hair gently for a moment before he kissed her cheek. Then he kissed her lips, a soft and quick kiss before pulling back and looking at her face. Smiling up at him, Rose was grateful when he gave her his manic smile in return before leaning forward and kissing her again. Wrapping an arm around her neck, Rose parted her lips, allowing the Doctor to deepen the kiss. Her distraction was the reason she didn’t notice him gently stroking the side of her face, just above her ear. Rose dismissed it a moment later as a quirk of this body and sighed in protest when he ended the kiss and stepped back.  
  
“He’s waiting for you,” the Doctor reminded Rose was a wide smile.  
  
“And I’m sure you’re irritated on his behalf,” Rose teased, glancing towards the doorway. “There is still Section 13 to worry about.”  
  
“Not really,” the Eleven Doctor assured her. “He’s grabbing you things from your room and giving Matthews a very rushed and irritating briefing as she follows him through the halls.”  
  
Snorting softly, Rose could envision the scene perfectly in her mind which calmed her slightly. At her side, her fingers clenched and released as she took in a long slow breath. “So… it’s soon, isn’t it,” Rose questioned, licking her lips.  
  
“Soon,” the Doctor agreed, “But no fishing for details.”  
  
“Alright then,” Rose replied. “I’ll just try and be ready for anything.”  
  
The Doctor tilted his head slightly and then slowly nodded, Rose wasn’t sure what to make of his reaction. His sudden calm made her feel nervous. This version of her Doctor was all energy, talking with his hands and flirting. Thankfully, he seemed to sense her sudden hesitation and beamed at her, moving forward quickly to plant another quick kiss on her lip before pulling back. It was enough like the first time that he kissed her that Rose smiled and giggled as the Doctor beamed at her.  
  
“He’ll have moved the TARDIS by now,” the Eleventh Doctor told her, nodding towards the doorway. “Poor Benton is going to be getting a very strange call for this one.”  
  
“Yeah,” Rose chuckled weakly. “Last time three of you worked together the universe was under attack from Omega. This didn’t exactly compare.”  
  
“Different universe at risk,” the Doctor corrected, his green eyes twinkling. “And even more important.”  
  
“Flirt,” Rose teased as she felt her cheeks flush. “Smooth and shameless flirt.”  
  
“No that would be Jack,” the Doctor countered. “I’m not that bad.”  
  
Smiling, Rose nodded and leaned forward to kiss him once again, knowing that it would be time to leave soon. His long arms wrapped around her and Rose ran her fingers through his flyaway brown locks. Sighing softly, she pulled back and turned towards the TARDIS door. She didn’t look back at him until she was at the door and then turned to look at him over her shoulder with a wide smile.  
  
“Until next time Doctor,” Rose told him before her expression softened. “I love you.”  
  
“And I love you,” the Eleventh Doctor answered. “But you best be off. You know how jealous I can get in that body.”  
  
“In that body?” Rose repeated with a raised eyebrow.  
  
“Oh go on,” the Doctor huffed, trying to act irritated, but failing miserably.  
  
Smiling, Rose stepped out of the TARDIS and closed the door behind her. Only a few feet away was another, slightly dustier looking TARDIS waiting for her. Doctor Matthews was standing nearby with an exhausted, pleased and confused expression.  
  
“Please have Michael and Danielle call me when they’re better,” Rose requested as she pulled out her TARDIS key and slid it into the lock. “If Benton asks, just tell him I’ll be back in Cambridge in a few hours.”  
  
“Uh… alright,” Matthews answered slowly with a nod.   
  
Rose felt a bit bad for the woman, but one Doctor alone had the tendency to leave people in mild shock so she really was coping well for three of them. Feeling a bit guilty, Rose gave her a smile and turned the key to unlock the door. She just hoped that this incident hadn’t hurt Section 13 and UNIT relations. Stepping inside, Rose closed the door behind her and looked up towards the console where her brown-eyed Doctor was already darting around adjusting the controls. His long tan coat was already hung over one of the support beams and her bag and suitcase were propped up against the jump seat.  
  
“Leather coat is gone,” he announced without looking at her. “And my memories haven’t changed from his part in this so everything went according to plan on that end.” The Doctor flipped a switch and the TARDIS dematerialized with a shudder. Throwing one last switch, the Doctor spun towards Rose and crossed his arms.  
  
“Everything taken care of,” Rose told him as she walked up next to him. “Timelines seemingly intact.”  
  
“You snogged him didn’t you,” the Doctor grumbled.  
  
Laughing, Rose gently twined her hand behind his neck, fingering his hair. Speaking in a low voice, she smiled and said, “You are so lucky that I love you enough to put up with your jealousy issues.”  
  
“It’s complicated for Time Lords,” the Doctor defended before his expression softened. “And I’m lucky you love me period,” he reminded her.  
  
“Nice recovery,” Rose complimented. “Now… didn’t you promise me a holiday, just the two of us?”  
  
Beaming, the Doctor leaned forward and whispered in her ear, “I did, didn’t I.”  
  
Shivering as his breath hit his ear, Rose wasn’t prepared for the Doctor turning his face to catch her lips in a deep kiss. She was pulled against him, one hand around her lower waist and the other tangling in her hair, adjusting the tilt of her head so he could deepen in the kiss. The small sounds Rose was making were lost in the Doctor’s mouth as he titled her entire body. Tightening one hand on his shoulder, Rose allowed the other to run through the Doctor’s hair.  
  
Then she was swung back upright and the Doctor pulled away suddenly. A soft groan escaped Rose and she forced her eyes open. Grinning, the Doctor stepped back from her to pull another level. He fiddled with another control as Rose fought back the desire to scowl, only to catch him smirking at her reaction. Chuckling softly, Rose held out her hand towards him and beamed when he reached out and twined their fingers together.  
  
“Allons-y,” the Doctor shouted, pulling Rose close to him as he hit on of the console buttons. The TARDIS shuddered and soared through the Vortex, taking them off once again.


	51. Dancing Lights: Richard Beckett

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Fifty-One: Dancing Lights: Richard Becket   
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
……………..  
  
It was a warm early summer Saturday in June that shouldn’t have been anything but brilliant for students just released from school. Rose Tyler sipped at the milkshake in front of her and picked up one of the lovely golden chips in the newspaper in the middle of the table. Her hand nearly collided with Shareen who was reaching for a chip herself. The girls were sitting in a small shop a few blocks away from their childhood home the Powell Estate, having become rather nostalgic for their old haunts. Why? Rose really didn’t have a good answer to that question and was feeling more than a little awkward sitting in the old chip shop.   
  
“Do you ever have problems at Cambridge being from Peckham originally?” Sharon suddenly asked, looking out the window at the passing people.  
  
“Sure,” Rose admitted, leaning on her hand and looking at the window. “I got asked if I had a gun during my first month and if I had a boyfriend with a gun. And I’ve been called a chav more than a few times.”  
  
“Seriously?” Shareen asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
Rose shrugged and snatched up another chip. “Most of my classmates are middle and upper class. They’ve never been to Peckham and I don’t really consider myself from Ealing despite Mum living there now. And of course I don’t go around telling people about the money Harry left us.”  
  
“Figures it’d be harder for you,” Sharon sighed. “At least we’re at the University of London. There’s more diversity there.”  
  
“It’s not so bad,” Rose promised with a shrug. “I mean I don’t really have any good friends in Cambridge, but there are some classmates I go out with sometimes. Your mates are a lot more fun,” Rose told them with a smile.  
  
They were all quiet for a few moments, munching on their chips and people watching. Rose’s eyes widened as one of her former schoolmates walked past with a pair of kids, one a toddler and one in a stroller.  
  
“Isn’t that Chloe Baker?” Sharon questioned, leaning back in her chair to study the woman more carefully.  
  
“I think so,” Rose answered, shaking her head in mild disbelief. “I think remember Mum telling me she was pregnant before A-Levels,” Rose shrugged a bit. “My mind was elsewhere then so I might be wrong.”  
  
“Looks like she’s had another one,” Shareen observed before shuddering slightly, “Man I couldn’t handle being a mum at our age.”  
  
“Me neither,” Rose agreed with a small shudder of her own, “I honestly can’t fathom how Mum managed by herself with me after Dad died.”  
  
“Speaking of your Mum….” Sharon started cautiously, “How are things?”  
  
“Well I haven’t committed matricide yet,” Rose replied, picking up another chip. “But after her last comment about aliens, it was a near thing.”  
  
“She’s still mad huh,” Sharon remarked with a flinch. “Sorry, hon.”  
  
“Not your fault,” Rose assured her with a forced smile. “I’m just surprised how long she’d staying angry. I knew that my mum was tenacious, but this is something else.”  
  
“She’s probably afraid for you,” Shareen offered gently, “She lost your Dad to a mysterious hit and run that left her a single mum and you’re doing something dangerous.” Shareen fixed Rose with a stare, “Plus she’s got to be wondering what other secrets you may be keeping from her now that she knows you kept aliens a secret for nine years.”  
  
“You haven’t told her about the Doctor yet right?” Sharon questioned, tilting her head as she regarded Rose.  
  
“Sort of,” Rose admitted with a grimace. “But only in the he’s the alien who helped keep me safe capacity and not in the by the way I’m dating a version of him after he changes his face.”  
  
“See,” Shareen replied with a smirk, “You are keeping secrets so is it any wonder she’s worried and angry with you.”  
  
“Great,” Rose muttered as she drilled her straw into her thick milkshake, “Now I have guilt.”  
  
“You didn’t have any guilt before?” Sharon asked with slightly wide eyes.  
  
“Not really,” Rose confessed before sighing. “Look I’ve got a pretty serious selfish streak, I acknowledge that.”  
  
“And you’re a little too arrogant,” Shareen pointed out calmly as she selected another chip from the shared platter.   
  
“A bit yeah,” Rose agreed with a shrug, but she flushed a little and snatched up another chip as Shareen gave her a knowing look. “I think I liked you better before you started studying psychology.”  
  
“Truth hurts doesn’t it,” Sharon teased with a chuckle. “Mind you UNIT has already expressed interest to us about hiring when we’re done with exams.”  
  
“Figured as much,” Rose agreed with a shrug. “They’ve got me in the lab so far this summer under Malcolm.” Rose paused and looked at Sharon, “Oh did you find a doctor to oversee your work experience requirement.”  
  
“I couldn’t get anyone to respond to me,” Sharon admitted with a sigh, “But UNIT arranged a spot for me with a doctor Hendrickson starting next month. Bit embarrassing to be unable to find someone on your own.”  
  
“Yeah, but we didn’t exactly grow up personally knowing any doctors,” Shareen reminded her gently, “Except for the Doctor, but he wouldn’t count in this case.”  
  
“No,” Rose agreed with an amused smile. “Definitely not.”   
  
“So…” Shareen questioned slowly, “Do you want to talk about it?”  
  
“Talk about what?” Rose asked, looking back at her friend with a hint of confusion.  
  
Shareen managed not to roll her eyes even as Sharon snorted softly. “What has been bothering you,” Shareen replied calmly. “Rose you’ve been really tense for weeks and after spending time with the Doctor that usually is not the case.”  
  
“I- I guess I’m just worried about….” Rose glanced around before dropping her voice, “the Silver Lord,” she finished with a whisper. “I don’t know what he did to me, but it had to be major to get three incarnations of the Doctor in one place, but I haven’t a clue why he questioned me about my personal information or what he did to me when I was out.” Her fingers tightened around the glass her milkshake was in and her friends politely did not mention the fact that her hands were shaking slightly. “Something is coming and I haven’t got a clue what it is or what it is for.”  
  
“Just remember that you know you’ll travel with the Doctor in the future and that everything will be okay,” Sharon offered with a smile.  
  
“Time can be rewritten,” Rose reminded her tensely. “There isn’t any guarantee for how things will turn out. Time is flexible and even seemingly small things have an impact.”  
  
Her two friends shared a look and Rose snatched up another chip which didn’t taste as good now as it had ever a minute and a half ago. She knew that her mood had been sour lately between lingering questions about the Silver Lord, the decrease in the amount of time she got to spend with the Doctor and her mother’s irritation with her. So far the best thing about summer had been her time in the UNIT lab with Malcolm, Tosh and Kate since they could usually find something interesting to distract her for at least a couple of hours.  
  
“Look girls,” Rose said with a sigh, “I appreciate your concerns and trying to cheer me up, but I think this is something I just have to grit my teeth and get through.”  
  
“And you will,” Shareen told her firmly. “It will be fine Rose.”  
  
“Yeah,” Rose agreed half-heartedly as she picked up the last chip. “I’ll see you later, I need some air.” Standing up, Rose pulled on her leather jacket and grabbed her shoulder bag, heading for the shop door.  
  
“Try and enjoy your day,” Sharon called after her with a small wave.   
  
Giving them a wave over her shoulder, Rose managed a small smile and stepped out onto the streets of Peckham. She was a few blocks away and back near where she’d parked her motorcycle when Sharon had suggested coming back to the old neighbourhood. Rose’s phone beeped and she reached into the pocket of her leather jacket to pull it out in a smooth practised motion. Blinking, Rose was a little surprised that it was Richard Becket calling her. She hadn’t heard from him in over three weeks.  
  
“Hello,” Rose greeted as she answered the call.  
  
“Rose,” Richard greeted in a rush, he sounded a bit of out of breath. “You’re back in London right?”  
  
“Yeah,” Rose answered, a knot of worry beginning to form in her stomach at his tone.  
  
“Can you come by my office immediately? I think something is wrong.”  
  
“Have you called UNIT?” Rose questioned, quickening her pace to a near jog as she headed down the street towards her motorcycle.  
  
“Not yet,” Richard admitted his tone still rushed, “I haven’t been able to get through to my contact. Please Rose, I need help.”  
  
“I’ll be there in fifteen,” Rose promised as she reached her bike and unlocked the back to retrieve her helmet. “Keep trying to reach UNIT.”  
  
“I will,” Richard promised before he ended the call.  
  
Debating for a moment between calling UNIT herself and heading straight over, Rose swung over her bike and started it up. Richard would get through UNIT, but someone needed to get on scene right away. Not to mention that she owed Richard for protecting her during that mess at his office a few months ago. Rose wove in and out of traffic as quickly as she could, speeding the whole way.  
  
The five-story shining glass and metal building of Becket Enterprises gleamed in the sunlight as Rose drove up and parked her bike. The car park was almost empty with only a few vehicles around. Climbing off her bike, Rose hung her helmet over the right bar and looked up at the building with a mixture of curiosity, worry and excitement. She’d been feeling tense and out of sorts since Section 13, even after a week long holiday with the Doctor on the moon of Phadri IV. There was no movement in the building from what Rose could see and she slowly walked up towards the main door.  
  
Sudden movement inside the lobby made Rose tense, but the door opened a moment later and she relaxed slightly to see Richard standing at the doorway waiting for her. The large glass doors swung open and Rose heard the soft beeping of the security system. Directly in front of her, Richard swiped his key card in the system scanner before turning to Rose. Richard’s blond hair was ruffled like he’d been messing with it and his blue eyes were frantic.  
  
“Rose,” he sighed in relief, “Thank you for coming.”  
  
“Are you okay Richard?” Rose asked with a touch of concern. “What is happening?”  
  
“I’m alright,” Richard assured Rose, “but something strange is happening with one of my latest projects. We were working on a prototype that UNIT sent us and strange lights started appearing early this morning.”  
  
“Lights?” Rose repeated quizzically.  
  
“We only have a skeleton staff around on weekends, but I sent them all home an hour ago when they started having audio and visual hallucinations. Most have reported that the symptoms faded as soon as they left the building.” Richard told her. “And I’m afraid my communication line to UNIT is still blank.” Richard’s face tightened and he looked at her. “Have you ever had that happen?”  
  
“Once,” Rose admitted darkly, a sick feeling rushing through her. Surely she wasn’t facing another treachery situation in UNIT. “I should call Benton, I have his direct line.”  
  
“Good idea,” Richard agreed, but he caught her hand when Rose began to reach for her phone. “But you should see what we were working on first so you can help explain. I’m afraid that I’m not good at translating into lay man’s terms.”  
  
Nodding in agreement, Rose followed Richard to the lift and was quiet as he swiped his card again and accessed the underground lab levels. The lift went down smoothly, but slower than Rose would have liked.  
  
“I sorry about all of this,” Richard apologised, giving her a sheepish smile.  
  
“It’s alright,” Rose assured him with a small forced smile. “Things like this aren’t exactly uncommon in my life.”  
  
“So the rumours say,” Richard teased lightly. “So… how is Private Smith? I’m afraid I haven’t seen him since I was released from the hospital.”  
  
“He’s doing well,” Rose informed Richard in a happier tone. “The skin regrowing treatments they used even got him back to normal without much scarring.”  
  
“I was hoping that,” Richard answered with a grin, “They worked so well on me, but his burns were...” he trailed off with a grimace.   
  
“Were worse,” Rose finished with a small shudder at the memory. A sick feeling churning in her stomach as she realised that she’d be back in that corridor in just a few seconds. “But he’s good,” she added with a nod.   
  
The lift stopped and the doors opened with a soft ding. Stepping out, Rose gasped softly as she nearly walked through a miniature aurora borealis in the middle of the corridor. She looked around only to see the white walls of the corridors were nearly glowing with shimmering colours of every shade in almost random designs while the corridor itself was filled with small ribbons of multicoloured lights.  
  
“Wow,” Rose breathed in awe, attributing her sudden light headiness to the strange and beautiful sight. “This is…” she trailed off as she slumped against a wall and the world faded away even as the lights remained clear in her mind.


	52. Dancing Lights: Pain and Light

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Fifty-Two: Dancing Lights: Pain and Light   
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
………………………………..  
  
Lights danced across Rose’s eyes as she began to come back to herself. The first thing she was aware of was the chill of the tiled floor against her cheek and the cold that was spreading through her body. She was lying awkwardly sprawled on the floor and her muscles were aching. But the pounding in her head was the worst, causing the lights to flash brightly behind her closed lids and pulse like they were heartbeats.   
  
Rose felt her body being shifted and the pain in her head increased for a moment before a warm hand brushed gently over her forehead. It felt familiar, comforting and so warm. There was a soft voice speaking quietly to her, in a low enough voice that her headache didn’t get any worse. She couldn’t put the words together just yet but managed to focus on the fingers carding through her hair in long slow strokes. A name tickled at the back of her mind, someone she cared about, but it wouldn’t come forward. That realisation caused a bolt of fear to strike Rose’s heart and she jerked.  
  
“Easy,” a worried voice warned her. “Move slowly.” The source of the voice helped Rose roll over onto her back and ease herself up onto her elbows. It was a struggle to open her eyes, but she finally managed it. Rose looked up into dark blue eyes, wide with worry as the man leaned over her. His hand dropped to her face and stroked her cheek gently. “Easy,” he said again gently, “God Rose you scared me half to death.” He shook his head and swallowed, “I was so worried that….”  
  
“Richard,” Rose muttered as the name finally materialised on her tongue. “Your name is Richard.”  
  
“Rose….” He trailed off even as he nodded. “Are you alright sweetheart?”  
  
“Sweetheart?” Rose blinked at the term of endearment. It felt both right and awkward, but a sudden burst of pain in her head distracted Rose from the confusing thought.  
  
“Rose!” Richard cried, helping her sit up and shifting an arm tightly around her waist. She released a small whimper of pain as her head pounded and felt herself being shifted into his lap. Curling against his chest, Rose tried to burrow into the warmth of his body which caused the pain in her head to ease. “Sweetheart,” Richard murmured as he brought both of his arms around her. “What’s wrong?”  
  
“My head,” Rose managed to groan. “God I’ve got a headache.”  
  
“Must be a side effect of the lights,” Richard explained gently. “I just tried calling UNIT again, but my phone isn’t working right. I think whatever is causing the lights is messing with the communications.” Right, Rose remembered, Richard had called her over because of the lights and he couldn’t reach UNIT. She frowned and shifted in his arms, moving to stand. “Just stay still for a bit longer,” Richard protested, tightening his arms and pulling Rose back against his chest.  
  
“But-” Rose started to argue.  
  
“Please,” Richard implored sharply before sighing and adding. “Rose you just froze up and then tumbled to the ground. You weren’t responsive for over five minutes. God sweetheart, I was-”  
  
“I’m sorry,” Rose apologised quickly, dropped her eyes. “I’m sorry I scared you.”  
  
Richard sighed above her, loosening one of his arms and bringing his hand up to cup Rose’s cheek. He tilted her chin up and leaned forward. Rose’s entire body flinched as the pain in her head roared back full force, but Richard pressed his lips against hers. She tensed, unable to move or breathe. The warmth of his lips was wonderful against her chilled ones, his hand on her cheek was comforting and a sense of rightness was pushing forward in her body. But there was a twisting in her gut, a feeling that something wasn’t quite right.   
  
Richard’s tongue darted out and licked her lips before he nibbled on her bottom one quickly. Rose gasped slightly and that was all the opportunity Richard needed to sweep his tongue into her mouth. Moaning, he pulled her closer and angled her head to kiss her deeper. Rose shivered, shifting against Richard as another bolt of pain went through her head even as her body pressed closer to Richard. His fingers tangled in her hair, deepening the kiss and groaning into her mouth as his free hand caressed her back, squeezing her bum before shifting under her shirt. As his warm fingers massaged the bare skin, Rose moaned and raised her hand to tangle her fingers in his brown hair. The texture surprised her, it felt different than she remembered from the last time she’d kissed him, but Richard pulled away from her lips. Gasping for air, Rose groaned as Richard peppered kisses along her neck and bit at the junction of her neck and shoulders.  
  
“Richard,” she moaned only to have an even stronger flash of pain rush through her skull. All her pleasure vanished and Rose nearly collapsed on top of him, breathing hard and clutching her head.  
  
“Sweetheart,” Richard called, shifting around her carefully. “Come on, let’s get you upstairs and away from the lights.”  
  
“But they could be signs of aliens,” Rose reminded him sharply.  
  
“And we’ll deal with it,” Richard promised as he helped Rose stand up, leaning her against him and tangling their fingers. “Together.”  
  
“Yeah,” Rose agreed even as she fought the urge to pull her hand away. Somehow it didn’t feel quite right. “I think…” Rose trailed off. “I think there is something wrong with me.” Rose confessed, “Something feels wrong.”  
  
“Wrong?” Richard questioned as he helped her into the lift and reclaimed his hand in order to press a button. The pain in Rose’s head eased with her hand free and she shifted it to avoid him retaking it, feeling a twitch of guilt. “What kind of wrong?”  
  
“I’m not sure,” Rose admitted in a small voice. “But it feels like I’ve forgotten something important when I woke up, I couldn’t think of your name.”  
  
“But you knew it was me,” Richard reminded her. “You don’t usually wake up that slowly with other people. You knew my touch.”  
  
Rose blushed at the implications of the words and felt a rush of dread, which only confused her further. This was her lover, her significant other… why did the idea of them being together seem so…. After all, they had been snogging in the middle of a hallway, which upon reflection had a been a very dangerous and foolish thing to do.  
  
“The lights knocked you out Rose,” Richard told her. “And they caused hallucinations with the staff. It makes sense that you’re disoriented.”   
  
The lift seemed to be moving at a crawl and Rose leaned weakly against Richard as shivers still racked her body as she tried to think. His explanation made perfect sense of course, but the feeling of wrongness remained. She decided that it had to be the loss of normal communications and her hand went to her phone.  
  
“We could use my superphone,” Rose suggested as the lift opened and Richard helped her out.   
  
She realised that they weren’t on the main floor, but had gone up a few levels more. Richard quickly unlocked his office and Rose stumbled inside, sinking into a large plush chair in front of Richard’s desk. Her eyes were drawn to a framed photo placed behind his desk on the credenza of the two of them smiling widely at the camera, his arms around her. Frowning, Rose tried to remember when it was taken only to have another burst of pain go through her head.  
  
“And call Benton,” Richard finished with a nod. He held out his hand for the phone and Rose hesitated only a moment before she handed the phone over. A flash of pain went through her head and Rose closed her eyes, leaning forward and breathing deeply to ease the ache. She heard a few small noises from her phone which seemed horribly loud.  
  
Hearing Richard gasp, Rose looked up sharply to see the walls of the office beginning to glow with the strange beams of light. They flowed over the white walls and over the hung pictures like water, shining brightly and flashing with different colours. Standing slowly from her seat, Rose glanced back over at Richard her was staring at the light with a mixture of fear and awe.  
  
Gasping softly, Rose watched as the streams of light shifted together, forming a small floating being of vague humanoid shape in the air before them. It was concentrated light with darker spaces where its eyes and mouth were located on the face. Floating closer, the being released a soft cooing sound like a gentle song that floated on the air. Rose’s head felt heavy and her eyes were drawn to the multi-colored beams of light still dancing on the walls of Richard’s office.  
  
“I’m not getting through to Benton,” Richard said softly behind Rose. “I think there is something wrong.”  
  
The being turned towards Richard sharply and hissed, its song becoming a sharp ear piercing ring that made Rose cover her ears. Turning slightly, she looked back at him only to see the superphone spark and flash in his hand before crumbling to the ground in pieces. Rose jumped away from the creature and the other electronics in the room began to spark and crumble as the screaming of the alien continued. Richard lunged forward, grabbing Rose’s hand and tugging her out of the room. He made a move towards the lift, but Rose came back to herself in time to pull him towards the stairs.   
  
Behind them, she heard the lift start to spark and creak as she shoved the heavy door open and they rushed into the concert stairwell. The chill in the space helped ease Rose’s headache and the adrenaline rush was letting her think more clearly. Above their heads, the lights began to flicker before switching off. A moment later the emergency power kicked on.  
  
“Richard, what were you working on?” Rose demanded as she heard him following her down the stairs.  
  
“It was just an object from the vaults that had never been fully examined. A prototype for energy production since it was giving off subtle energy levels,” Richard informed Rose quickly. “They weren’t expecting any trouble with it.”  
  
“And what did you do with it?” Rose asked, pulling open the door to the ground floor.  
  
“X-rayed it to see what was inside. It looked like a sphere,” Richard explained quickly. “But it registered as hollow so we did an MRI yesterday to verify. This morning they were just doing some other tests before I would let them open it.”  
  
“Did you open it?” Rose questioned as they skidded to a halt in the main foyer and she turned to look at him.   
  
“Yes,” Richard answered with a nod. “It was opened this morning, but the effects didn’t start for hours.”  
  
“Any chance of getting downstairs to see it?” Rose asked before she quickly shook her head. “No, no we have to contact UNIT first.”  
  
“The phones aren’t working and it just blew up your phone. I’m sorry about that,” Richard added with an apologetic smile.  
  
“That’s alright,” Rose answered as she glanced back towards the stairwell. “It doesn’t seem to be following us.”  
  
“Not yet at least,” Richard muttered.  
  
“You should leave and try to get to a working phone,” Rose suggested quickly with a glance at the main doors. “Maybe I can communicate with it.”  
  
“Did your translator pick up anything when it screamed?” Richard questioned with a frown.  
  
“No, but I don’t think it was trying to communicate,” Rose informed him as she started moving towards the main doors. “Besides I think it was scared. If that being was in the item then it probably wasn’t expecting to wake up.”  
  
“But Rose that thing could have been a prison; this thing could be a criminal. It could hurt you,” Richard argued. “Just come with me.”  
  
“But it could go out into the city,” Rose reminded him as she glanced up when the lights began to flicker.  
  
“We don’t know that walls will hold it here!” Richard retorted, reaching for Rose and grabbing her hand. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”  
  
Rose felt both a chill and a burst of warmth at Richard’s touch, even as she head began to pound again. Richard moved forward and pressed his lips against Rose’s in a quick, but passionate kiss. When he broke the kiss, Richard stepped over to the main doors and put his hand on the push lever.   
  
“Promise you’ll be careful,” he insisted, swallowing uncertainly.  
  
“I will be,” Rose promised with a forced smile. Nodding, Richard turned and pushed on the door, but it remained firmly in place. He shoved his weight against it, but the door did not move. “Richard?” Rose questioned with a frown. “What is going on?”  
  
“It’s in lockdown,” Richard hissed as he pushed against the door again. “It shouldn’t be, but somehow it is. That thing,” Richard groaned turning back to Rose, “it sealed the building.”  
  
“Can you smash the glass?” Rose questioned only to get a look from Richard.  
  
“Rose this is a state of the art facility that handles alien research. The windows don’t smash.” Richard glanced back at the doors. “Were Sharon and Shareen with you when I called?”  
  
“No,” Rose confessed with a frown of her own. “They weren’t. They don’t know I’m here.”  
  
“Great,” Richard muttered, reaching for Rose’s hand. “We’re trapped with a potentially hostile alien that blows electronics up.” Richard chuckled and squeezed Rose’s hand. “At least it isn’t Thane; that was a hell of a first date wasn’t it.”  
  
“Yeah,” Rose agreed weakly as her skull throbbed. “But you knew how to impress a girl.”  
  
“Yes, that was the whole reason for pulling you out of the way and shielding you. Getting your phone number and a dinner date.” Richard huffed and looked back at Rose. “When this is over, I owe you a very nice dinner.”  
  
“Deal,” Rose answered with a nod and a forced smile.  
  
“Good,” Richard agreed with a nod and a serious expression. “Because I have something very important to ask you.”  
  
A sudden crash from above and the lights overhead flickering out made them both look up in alarm as the ceiling began to glow with beams of multicoloured lights.


	53. Dancing Lights: Big Questions

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Fifty-Three: Dancing Lights: Big Questions  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
……………..  
  
Reaching forward, Richard grabbed her hand and pulled Rose sharply towards the stairs again. The lights above them were flickering as they both rushed down the stairwell. Up ahead, the locking system by the door was sparking slightly, but Richard pulled out his key card and swiped it. There was a high-pitched whine, but it was followed by a loud click as the door unlocked.  
  
“Thanks for that,” Richard muttered as he tugged open the door and gestured Rose inside. They stumbled into the long stark corridors of the lower level science labs. Richard glanced around the corridor before pointing down the hallway. “This way,” he told Rose, pulling her along behind him as he broke into a run.  
  
Sliding to a halt, Richard caught Rose around the waist and pointed at the laboratory right next to them. He pushed her gently through the doorway before following her inside himself. Rose took in the lab quickly, noting the standard equipment held on metal shelves on two of the walls. In the centre was a long metal table that dominated the space. Normally it would have been covered with bits and pieces of machines, but today there was only a large open sphere with two halves linked together with an alien metal hinge.  
  
“This is it?” Rose asked as she stepped closer and examined it.  
  
The outside was a smooth metal shell with a few small lights on it that were dark. There were no markings that Rose could see, no identification or warning for the contents. She felt a surge of irritation which helped to clear her headache and let her think more clearly.  
  
“Any ideas for reversing this?” Rose questioned, giving Richard a sharp look.  
  
“One,” Richard admitted as she unbuttoned the cuffs of his shirt and rolled it up to his elbows. “But it is a longshot.”  
  
“Try,” Rose ordered as she glanced towards the door and wall that separated them from the corridor. Stalking over, she looked out into the corridor and then back at Richard. “What’s the plan?”  
  
“Reverse the system that I think we activated when we scanned it,” Richard explained with a small shrug. “Like I said a long shot.”  
  
Rose frowned, that sounded too simple, almost cartoony. Something wasn’t fitting properly, but she couldn’t put her finger on what the problem was. Instead just trying sent another jolt of pain through her head. She released a long slow breath to regain control and fight the pain. When they got out of this, she’d have to see the Doctor.  
  
Shaking her head at the thought, Roe amended it quickly to a doctor. She was always happy to see her friend, but it wasn’t like he swung by for medical checkups. The idea was absurd and Rose snorted softly. Glancing at Richard, Rose wondered if she should introduce them. The Doctor was a good friend and Richard was her boyfriend, but then again her other friends didn’t even know about them dating. Her mum who was always hinting Rose needed a boyfriend had no idea.  
  
The smell of the air suddenly changed, pulling Rose sharply from her thoughts. Her skin tingled uncomfortably and she looked over at Richard to see him focused completely on the device in front of him. Rose glanced out in the corridor, blinking and struggling to keep her eyes focused as the mass of lights moved towards them slowly. Behind her, she could hear Richard cursing softly under his breath as he struggled with the device.  
  
“It’s almost here,” Rose whispered, leaning back into the laboratory and glancing over her shoulder at him.  
  
The sphere was laying open, blinking lights forming a semi-circle on its inner frames. Richard had pulled open a small hatch and was fiddling with a small bundle of wires. With side eyes, he looked up at Rose and then towards the wall that separated them from the being.  
  
“Sonic pen?” he whispered, holding out his hand.  
  
Rose nodded, pulling it out and gently tossing it to him. A jolt of pain in her head nearly knocked her down, but she clutched at the doorframe and cautiously glanced out towards the being. It had stopped in the middle of the corridor, not seeming to be bothered by the lights all around it flickered and sparked. Behind her, Rose heard the whirl of the sonic pen as Richard activated it. The being howled, causing all the lights around it to exploded in a shower of sparks, metal and glass. Flinching back into the room, Rose looked back at Richard.  
  
“That did something!” she shouted to be heard over the wail in the hall. It soon became unbearable and Rose covered her ears.   
  
Falling back against the wall, Rose struggled to remain on her feet as she watched Richard stumble to the side of the room to grab ear protection. Slipping one over his own head, he tossed one to Rose before quickly moving back to the device.   
  
The wall next to Rose began to glow with swirls of colour. Pushing away from it, Rose stepped closer to Richard, her eyes darting between the wall and the device. Her boyfriend tugged another section open and rearranged a few cable. Rose frowned in confusion, not understanding his action, but hoping that he had some kind of a plan. Her skin tingled and felt itchy as the being came closer, joining them in the lab as a wailing blast of colour and white energy.   
  
Someone grabbed her hand and tugged hard, pulling her off her feet and down onto her knees. Turning Rose saw Richard moving under the large metal table and followed him. A moment later there was a blinding flash of light and Richard pulled Rose against him. Her eyes slammed shut and she gripped his shoulders tightly as the air was knocked from her lungs. The wailing grew louder and louder before everything went silent and still.  
  
Opening her eyes slowly, Rose found the room coloured red and realised with a sigh of relief that the emergency lighting was coming on. Carefully, she let go of Richard and slid out from underneath the table. Her legs were shaking slightly, but she stood up and looked around. On top of the table, the sphere had closed shut, reforming its original sphere shape. Richard stood up next to her and carefully touched the sphere, watching as lights danced on the surface before fading away. Slowly, he pulled off his ear protection and Rose did the same.  
  
“Well,” Richard huffed, “That wasn’t too bad.”  
  
“Not compared to some,” Rose offered, tossing her ear protection on the table and taking her sonic pen from Richard’s hand. “At least this didn’t explode,” she remarked with a smile. “I doubt I could ever convince the Doctor to get me another.”  
  
“Ah, he’s one of your best friends,” Richard teased with a widening smile. “I’m sure you could convince him, just use those big brown eyes of yours.”   
  
“Those only work on you,” Rose replied, ignoring another spike of pain in her head.  
  
Laughing, Richard pulled Rose against him and sealed his lips over hers. Rose groaned as the pain spiked in her head again which turned into a moan as Richard deepened the kiss. His hands explored her body, slipping under her shirt to caress her hip bone and massaging her neck gently. Sighing, Rose pushed her body tighter against him only to shiver as another strange feeling went through her.  
  
A moment later, Richard’s hands tangled in her hair, both of his thumbs resting above her ears. Her body tensed as she felt a strange push against her head, but it passed just as quickly and Richard nibbled at her lip, distracting her deliciously. Her hands were at a loss of what to do, one tangling in his hair and the other reaching towards his neck, but settling uncertainty over his collar. She had a feeling that he usually wore a tie, that sounded right and her fingers itched to grab it. Or was it a bow tie….. Rose’s head began to ache and she whimpered softly.  
  
Richard pulled back, beaming at her and brushed back some hair from her face. “I still owe you dinner,” he told her. He reached into his pocket and knelt down on one knee, bringing his hand up with a small black box. “But this feels like the right time to ask this question.”  
  
“Oh my god,” Rose gasped as he opened the box, revealing a beautiful diamond ring that glistened in the red emergency lighting.  
  
“Will you marry me?” Richard asked with a wide, but nervous smile. “I know we haven’t been dating that long, but I can’t fathom ever meeting someone as exciting, brilliant and fun as you. I want you with me always.”  
  
Rose’s mouth opened, but no sound came out. It was difficult to breathe, difficult to think as it felt like sparks were lighting off all over her brain.  
  
“Sweetheart,” Richard called gently. “I sort of need an answer here.” The ring glinted in the light, almost glowing now with gentle pulses. “I promise that I’ll make you happy,” Richard told her. “We’ll have a good life together, working on alien technology. You’ll be the Defender of Earth and we’ll be happy.”  
  
Something felt off, but Rose didn’t understand what it was. She stared at Richard, taking in his beautiful eyes, hopeful smile and great hair. He was intelligent, successful, knew all about her adventures with aliens and he loved her. They were perfect together. Sure she hadn’t told her friends that she was seeing him and her mum didn’t know, but that had been her being silly. Why hadn’t she wanted them to know? Why would she be ashamed or worried about dating Richard? He was… fantastic, that word sent a jolt of pain through Rose’s head making her flinch.   
  
“Rose,” Richard whispered. “Sweetheart, please say yes.”  
  
She loved him. Rose knew that she loved him, she could feel the pulse of warmth, affection and nearly overwhelming joy that she had around him. Her heart almost felt ready to explode from the feeling so why was it so hard. Wetting her lips, Rose swallowed and looked into Richard’s eyes, ignoring the strange thought that they were the wrong shade of blue. She loved him and he loved her.  
  
“Yes,” Rose managed to say around a headache. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”  
  
Richard gave Rose a blinding smile and slipped the ring onto her finger. The pain in her head suddenly eased and Rose took a deep shaky breath. Standing up, Richard wrapped his arms around her and sealed their lips together. With the headache easing, Rose relaxed against Richard, letting him deepen the kiss. She barely noticed a lightheaded feeling creeping over her until her legs suddenly gave out. The last thing she felt was Richard catching her and hearing him say, “It’s alright sweetheart, I’ve got you now.”


	54. Dancing Lights: Good Tidings

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Fifty-Four: Dancing Lights: Good Tidings  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
…………..  
  
Rose blinked but tried not to move as the UNIT doctor shined a light into her eye. She was very tempted to point out to him that strange lights were the origin point of her symptoms but kept her temper. They were in the foyer of Richard’s office with Rose sitting on one of the reception area sofas and the doctor sitting on a table. In the distance, she could hear Richard speaking with Colonel Mace about what had happened. Grand scheme of things it had been very minor, Rose decided. There weren’t even any real signs that there had been a problem beyond the electrical surges that had ruined some equipment.   
  
Doctor Griffin checked her reflexes by tapping her knee, making Rose sigh and looked over towards Richard. Her mood improved as she spotted Lt. Colonel Frost walking over to her. The older woman smiled in greeting and nodded to the doctor to silently assure him a salute wasn’t needed.  
  
“How are you feeling?” Elizabeth asked Rose gently, her eyes checking Rose over quickly.  
  
“Fine,” Rose answered with a small shrug. “It seems to have passed. I’ve got a bit of a headache still, but I feel fine.”  
  
“Richard reported that you lost consciousness twice,” Elizabeth replied with a frown.  
  
“Yeah,” Rose reached up behind her ear and pulled off her translator. “I’m wondering if my reaction has to do with crossed signals, maybe that being’s energy was creating a backlash in my brain.”  
  
“If that is the case then you need an MRI,” the doctor interrupted with a frown. “I don’t see any problem with moving you.” He climbed to his feet and nodded to the Lt. Colonel. “I’ll call our hospital and schedule it.”  
  
“I doubt that’s necessary,” Richard suggested as he walked up to them. “If Rose is right then exposing to an MRI machine might make things worse.”  
  
Doctor Griffin, huffed and frowned at Richard, not persuaded by his charming smile. “Not checking her could lead to serious medical issues.”  
  
“So could exposing her to more stimulus,” Richard countered smoothly, stepping closer to Rose. He sat down on the sofa next to her and gently took her hand, his thumb brushing the ring. “Let’s give Rose the night to rest and see how she is feeling. I’m leaning towards her theory being right and if that’s the case then letting the brain settle and return to normal levels of stimulus is a better idea.”  
  
Doctor Griffin looked torn and turned his attention back to Rose. “Miss Tyler?”  
  
Richard’s hand was warm and she glanced down at it. The diamond ring that was placed on her right-hand ring finger glistened in the light. Her head still hurt, but it wasn’t as bad now.  
  
“I really think I just need rest,” Rose told Doctor Griffin with a small smile. “I’ll keep you informed tonight and tomorrow.”  
  
“Longer than that,” Griffin countered. “I want updates on your status at least every five hours for the next week.”  
  
“Agreed,” Richard said quickly with a nod.  
  
“And congratulations,” Doctor Griffin added, looking down at the ring. “I wasn’t even aware you were seeing someone, Miss Tyler.”  
  
“Indeed,” Frost added with a raised eyebrow. “There were rumours- but I wasn’t aware you two knew each other.”  
  
“We kept it a secret,” Richard admitted with a smile. “If things didn’t work out we didn’t want to potential jeopardise our working relationship within UNIT.” Richard squeezed Rose’s hand and grinned at her. “Speaking of which sweetheart, I’ll take you home. It’ll be a good time for us to tell your mother and I can keep an eye on you for Doctor Griffin.”  
  
“But my bike-”  
  
“I’ll arrange it to be returned to your home,” Frost promised. “But after a potential head injury, you absolutely shouldn’t be driving.” She gave Rose and nod and gestured for Doctor Griffin to follow her.  
  
“It really is time that I met your mother,” Richard told Rose gently. “After all we’re going to be married soon.”  
  
“Soon?” Rose questioned with a small frown.  
  
“I don’t want to wait long,” Richard replied cheerfully. “How about August? That way we can be married and back from the honeymoon before you need to return to university.”  
  
It was reasonable, Rose acknowledged. It only gave her the rest of June and July to plan, but it did make sense when it came to her schedule. Another jolt of pain made Rose inhale sharply and Richard instantly leaned closer.  
  
“It’s alright sweetheart, it will pass soon,” he promised in a low voice before kissing her cheek. Standing up, Richard held out his hand to her. “UNIT can take it from here, I’ve had enough of the office today.”  
  
Nodding, Rose took his hand and let him pull her up. Joining their fingers, Richard grinned and led Rose towards the main doors and outside to his car.  
  
…………………………….  
  
Staring up at her house, Rose took in a slow breath and tried to calm down. A sense of dread had settled in her stomach at the thought of speaking with her mother. Things were still tense between them and introducing her secret boy- fiancé probably wouldn’t help. Rose had a strange thought about her mother messing up timelines, but she quickly dismissed it since it made no sense.  
  
“It will be fine sweetheart,” Richard promised from the driver’s seat, looking over at her with a smile.  
  
“You don’t know my mother,” Rose grumbled as she unbuckled her seat belt.  
  
“Most mothers would be thrilled by their daughter bringing home a millionaire inventor who already knows their daughter’s dark secrets and still wants to marry her.”  
  
Rose nearly flinched at the description and fought back the strange sense that something was very wrong. It was just nerves, she told herself as she climbed out of the car and waited for Richard to do the same. He stayed by the car and straightened his shirt, rolling the sleeves down and rebuttoning them.   
  
“Presentable?” he asked, looking at Rose.  
  
“You’ll do,” Rose tried to tease back, but her voice was flat and the headache was returning. She was half considering telling Richard she needed to go to the UNIT medical hospital to escape this conversation but told herself to stop being a coward.   
  
Rose could hear the telly as she unlocked the door and stepped into the entrance. At least things were clean, she half sighed as she led Richard towards the television. Jackie Tyler did a double take when Richard followed Rose inside and the dismissive look on her face vanished. She sat up a little straighter and set her plate on the table before jumping to her feet. Rose nearly sighed when her mother tried to straighten her blue tracksuit, but kept a small smile fixed to her face for Richard’s sake.  
  
“Mum,” Rose started, ignoring the throbbing that was spreading through her head. “This is Richard Becket.” Rose gestured to Richard with her right hand and her mother gasped as the diamond ring caught the light.  
  
“Rose!” Jackie gasped, surging forward faster than Rose had ever seen her move to capture her hand.   
  
“Uh…” Rose trailed off uncertainly as her mother twisted her hand to study the ring. “Yeah, Richard proposed today,” Rose managed.  
  
Jackie’s head shot up and she turned her attention to the man who was smiling next to Rose.  
  
“How long have you two been dating?” Jackie demanded, a touch of hysteria in her voice.   
  
“Since February,” Richard supplied smoothly. “We met through work.” Jackie’s eyes widened even further and she repeated the word work, looking towards Rose who nodded. “That’s why we didn’t make our relationship public,” Richard explained, wrapping an arm around Rose’s waist. “I had to verify that UNIT had no policies against non-military staff becoming involved with each other and then we didn’t want to make things awkward if it didn’t work out.”  
  
“You’re engaged?” Jackie asked slowly, looking at Rose. A smile broke over her face. “You’re engaged!”  
  
Arms were thrown around Rose and she was nearly knocked back against the doorframe. She couldn’t make out her mother’s excited hysterics but caught sight of Richard laughing with a wide smile. Then her mother suddenly released her and turned to hug Richard, startling him and making Rose laugh.  
  
“Oh sit down,” Jackie told them when she released Richard. “We have so much to talk about! When are you thinking to have the wedding?”  
  
“We’re hoping to be ready by mid-August,” Richard informed Jackie as he sat down on the sofa, tugging Rose do next to him. “That way we don’t interfere with Rose’s university program.”  
  
Jackie nodded before sweeping her eyes over to Rose. “You’re not pregnant are you?”  
  
“No!” Rose responded quickly, she felt the urge to add that it was impossible, but couldn’t remember why. Was Richard sterile? Was that where the thought that they weren’t genetically compatible had come from?  
  
“Good,” Jackie replied with a huff of relief. “Trust me, dear, it’s easier to avoid that when getting married.”  
  
Rose nodded at the reminder of her parents own rush to the altar but was still trying to understand her response. Richard was completely calm and sat next to Rose, still holding her hand and calmly answering her mother’s questions. Trying to calm down, Rose listened to Richard’s explanation of his rise as an inventor to having a firm of his own in London. For some reason, the story was only vaguely familiar and Rose didn’t remember hearing it before. Her mother was listening with wide eager eyes, damn near drooling over Richard herself which oddly didn’t bother Rose much. She found it a bit irritating, but it wasn’t really bothersome. Frowning, she felt another jolt of pain in her head and breathed slowly, trying to track the source.  
  
There was a small knot near the middle of her skull that was sending out the little jolts of pain. It was weird, the pain was strongest when she was thinking about Richard, Rose realised with a small frown. He squeezed her hand and the pain eased as his thumb brushed over the back of her hand. Relaxing slightly, Rose forced a smile for her mother as she looked at Rose.  
  
“I’m afraid that Rose and I have an exciting afternoon,” Richard explained with a charming smile to Jackie. “Rose hit her head,” he offered simply.  
  
Biting her lip, Jackie glanced between them before seemingly coming to a decision. Turning to Rose, she asked, “Are you going to keep doing all that once you’re married.”  
  
“Of course,” Rose replied without thinking about it and beside her, Richard nodded.  
  
“I don’t think Rose would be happy otherwise,” Richard told Jackie while turning to smile at Rose. “And I don’t know what Earth would do without its Defender.”  
  
“But it’s not safe,” Jackie pressed Richard with a frown, clearly seeking him as an ally.  
  
“Asking Rose to change that much would do more harm than good,” Richard countered. “She’ll be on Earth with us and able to call for backup when needed.”  
  
Rose felt a weight around her neck, it was the TARDIS key. A memory of promising the Doctor to travel with him flew to the front of her mind. She’d have to talk with Richard, maybe they could work out a schedule for her to occasionally go off for a little while with the Doctor. Maybe the Doctor would even let him come along. The thought should have made her happy, but Rose felt a strange blend of emotions that were churning too quickly for her to properly identify and understand.  
  
“We have so much to do,” her mother half sighed, but she was smiling widely. “Any idea where you want the wedding?”  
  
“Didn’t you like the place where Sarah Jane got married?” Richard asked Rose. She couldn’t remember ever mentioning that, but she nodded. “Let see if they have an opening for us. You already know the layout just in case an alien tries to crash our wedding,” Richard joked. “And you’ll have to talk with all your friends, I know you’ll want them there.”  
  
“Yeah,” Rose agreed with a small nod, a feeling of doubt creeping up on her. “There’s a lot to do for August.”  
  
Smiling at her, Richard squeezed her hand again, his thumb brushing her ring and the doubts vanished in an instant. Rose kissed him quickly, as a startling burst of affection for the man rushed through her. In the background, she heard her mother coo happily and reached for her phone only to find it gone. She remembered her superphone blowing up and sighed.  
  
“We’ll get you a new phone,” Richard promised. “But go on and call Sharon and Shareen, I know you want to.”  
  
He had a strange smile on his face as Rose stood up and headed for the kitchen. Behind her, Rose heard her mother resume asking him all kinds of questions as she reached for the handset that her mother used for the house. As she dialled Shareen’s number, she heard Richard excuse himself and blinked in confusion when he headed upstairs rather using the ground floor loo. When her best friend answered the phone, Rose dismissed the thought and grinned.  
  
“Hi Shareen, is Sharon with you?” Rose asked before her grin widened. “Great, speakerphone, I’ve got big news. I’ve been dating Richard Becket and he asked me to marry him today. I said yes.”  
  
Rose flinched as two loud shouts of “WHAT?!” echoed through the phone and nearly made her drop it. Rose had barely recovered when Shareen informed her that they would be over within the hour and hung up leaving Rose holding the phone with a very confused expression.


	55. Dancing Lights: Maids of Honour

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Fifty-Five: Dancing Lights: Maids of Honour  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
……………..  
  
Rose’s forced smile was beginning to ache as her mother gushed about wedding arrangements, where to buy her dress and what kind of flowers Rose wanted. Jackie’s stream of thought was so fast that Rose couldn’t keep up with her. All she’d gotten thus far was that Jackie wanted a serious celebration with all the traditions checked off and Rose had the distinct impression that she was looking to make up for her own rushed wedding. Next, to her, Richard had a lazy smile on his face and was holding her hand gently. Every time Jackie jumped topics with a sharp noise of delight, he squeezed Rose’s hand.   
  
The pain in her head was lessening a little and she tried to relax fully. Her mother’s reaction had been much… smoother than Rose had hoped for and she once again wondered why she had been so concerned about telling her. Richard was handling her mum like a champion, guiding the conversation and politely answering all of her mother’s questions about his history and their dates. Another twinge of pain made Rose tense up as she thought about their dates. There had been a picnic, somewhere very beautiful. It had been a garden, but she couldn’t remember the name of the park. Richard was sure to remember, Rose assured herself and she was just tired.  
  
Breathing slowly, Rose leaned her head against Richard’s shoulder, ignoring the soft sound her mother made at the sight of them. Her thoughts turned to Sharon and Shareen who had reacted so strangely, they’d be here any moment. The thing was, Rose had a feeling that they had known about Richard so why the weird reaction?  
  
Outside there was the sound of gravel flying in the drive. Smiling at her mother and Richard, Rose stood up and walked to the entrance hall. The door banged open before Rose even had time to grasp the knob revealing a flustered looking Sharon and Shareen.  
  
“Hi girls,” Rose said a little uncomfortably.  
  
“Rose,” Sharon greeted as her eyes swept over her friend. “What is going on?” she asked in a low voice. “Is this some kind of weird plan?”  
  
Chuckling, Rose shook her head and stepped back to let her friends join her inside. Shareen came in first and glanced around, she tensed up when she saw Richard sitting in the living room.  
  
“Let’s talk upstairs,” Shareen suggested giving Rose a wide smile.   
  
She didn’t give Rose time to agree or disagree, grabbing her hand and tugging her firmly towards the stairs. Behind her, Sharon said a quick greeting to Jackie and gave the excuse of girl talk before rushing after them. Once they had Rose in her room, Shareen closed the door behind them and shared a worried expression with Sharon.  
  
“Okay Rose,” Sharon asked slowly, “What is going on?”  
  
“Look I get it,” Rose offered gently, “This seems quick and a bit sudden, but Richard is great girls. He’s smart, charming and knows about my job with UNIT.”  
  
“But Rose he’s not your boyfriend, he’s never been your boyfriend!” Sharon snapped with wide horrified eyes that Rose didn’t understand.  
  
“We just wanted to keep it quiet for awhile that’s all,” Rose huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “Plus you know how weird the companions can be, I just wanted to be sure it was a serious first. But I told you two months ago about him.”  
  
“You told us about meeting him,” Shareen replied with a frown. “Rose honey, where is your phone?”  
  
“My phone?” Rose repeated with a frown. “It got destroyed by an alien today at Richard’s lab. What does that have to do with anything anyway?”  
  
Shareen’s frown deepened at the mention of the destroyed superphone and she shared a look with Sharon. Stepping forward, Shareen met Rose’s eyes and took a deep breath. “Rose!” Shareen said carefully. “You haven’t been dating Richard; you’ve been dating the Doctor!”  
  
“The Doctor,” Rose repeated slowly, raising an eyebrow.  
  
“You remember the Doctor right?” Sharon asked, her eyes widening with a hint of panic.  
  
Rose laughed and smiled warmly at her friends. “Of course I know who the Doctor is, but he’s just a friend. I mean sure he’s one of my best mates and he’s taught me so much, but I don’t understand why you’d think he was the guy I was dating.” A giggle escaped Rose and she shook her head at her two friends. Shareen opened her mouth to say something, but a shout from Jackie made Rose hold her hand up to stop her friend. “Sorry girls,” she apologised quickly. “Mum is a very odd mood now, I’d better go and protect my fiancé.” Rose stumbled over the word and shook her head. “That’s going to take some getting used to.” She beamed at them, “Of course you two will be my maids of honour!”  
  
Sharon stuttered for something to say, but Rose turned and breezed out of her bedroom, leaving her two best friends standing stunned in the centre of her room.  
  
“Bloody hell,” Shareen growled, looking around the room. She stomped over to the bookshelves and began to search it, pushing things aside roughly in her haste.   
  
“What are you looking for?” Sharon asked, walking over to join Shareen, but keeping her distance.  
  
“Rose’s diary!” Shareen snapped before making a small cry of triumph as she picked up the leather volume with an embossed rose on the cover. “I know that she’s written about the Doctor in this. It’s their story after all.”  
  
“Excellent,” Sharon sighed in relief, peering over Shareen’s shoulder as she opened the book.  
  
Both gasped, the pages were blank. Flipping through it desperately, Shareen muttered to herself as they discovered that everything was gone from the diary.   
  
“What the-” Shareen gasped just before Sharon pulled the book out of her hands and frantically turned the pages. “How is it blank?”  
  
“He did something,” Sharon growled. “That bastard!” Shareen bit her lip before digging into her pocket and pulling out her mobile. She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear as she scrolled through her contacts. “What are you doing?” Sharon asked, closing the diary and slipping it back onto the shelf.  
  
“Astra,” Shareen answered as she raised the phone to her ear. “Maybe she can help.” Sharon grinned and stepped closer to the phone so she could hear. It rang and rang before a voicemail picked up. “Astra,” Shareen said urgently. “Something is going wrong. Rose just got engaged to some strange guy that she’s only mentioned a couple of times and her diary is blank. She doesn’t remember ever dating the Doctor. Call me!”  
  
“Now what?” Sharon asked when Shareen put her mobile away. “I mean Astra’s phone still being around is good right? That means she hasn’t faded away.”  
  
“I don’t know,” Shareen confessed, shifting nervously. “I don’t understand the complexity of time travel. I don’t know how long it would take her to fade away or if we’d still remember her if she did.”  
  
“We probably wouldn’t,” Sharon answered with a frown. “How could we remember someone we never met?”  
  
“So, in theory, Rose could have another kid that we have met and who has already faded away,” Shareen observed with a horrified expression.  
  
“Calm down,” Sharon ordered even as she gulped herself. “Let’s not panic. Rule one is don’t panic.”  
  
“Right,” Shareen agreed, taking in a deep breath. “So Rose remembers the Doctor, but her romantic experiences seen to have been… reassigned to Richard.”  
  
“Who is probably the Silver Lord,” Sharon added darkly with grit teeth. “Rose said that last time they met he did something to her head that bothered the Doctors and asked a lot of personal questions.”  
  
“Gathering information which would let him pretend to be her boyfriend,” Shareen concluded with a frown. “After all, he can fool Rose with what he did to her brain, but he has to convince Jackie and the companions. They’re experienced and would notice if something was clearly wrong so he’s got to put on a show.”  
  
Clapping at the doorway made both girls jump and spin to find Richard leaning against the doorframe of Rose’s room. He was smirking at them both, blue eyes sparkling with glee. “I can see why Rose likes the two of you,” he observed lazily, not seeming at all concerned. “You’re quite clever. You may not run off saving the world on your own, but you’re both definitely clever.”  
  
“What have you done to her?” Sharon demanded, taking a step forward and glaring at him. “What happened today?”  
  
“You think this has just started?” Richard asked, stepping closer to Sharon and Shareen. Both young women stayed in position, refusing to back away which only made his smile widened. “I’ll give you a hint little girls. I planted the seed for this at Sarah Jane’s wedding.”  
  
“But that was-”  
  
“A year ago. It’s been there in her mind, at the very back. Hidden and subtle, giving me a way in and since then I’ve built on it each time. The human mind fights so hard, but with patience and planning you can circumvent all the natural defences.”  
  
“Rose can fight you,” Shareen hissed.  
  
“She is,” Richard agreed with a smirk. “She’s fighting me so hard, but it is causing her pain. Sooner or later the migraines will force her to stop poking at altered memories and feelings. She’s already accepted the alternations I’ve made. As far as Rose Tyler knows, I’m her lover and she’s going to marry me.”  
  
“The Doctor-”  
  
“Ah yes the Doctor,” Richard intoned smugly. “I was wondering how long it would take you to bring that up, but my dears I’m not in this alone. There are others who want to make sure that Rose Tyler never leaves Earth with that Time Lord, want to make sure that their precious little love story never comes to pass.” Richard grinned, his eyes gleaming and taking on a greater hint of silver. “There is a temporal field surrounding Earth that can and will keep the TARDIS out for about four months.”  
  
“It won’t matter if she’s legally married to you,” Sharon argued, clenching her fists. “The Doctor will get Rose back!”  
  
“Oh, it will matter,” Richard teased. “Rose has already consented once and once she consents again then… well,” he shrugged and trailed off. “I don’t want to give away the surprise.”  
  
“Consent…” Shareen frowned thoughtfully. “That sounds familiar.”  
  
“It should,” Richard agreed, tilting his head. “He offered Rose a deal once before that she rudely turned down. Once someone gives him consent they are his.”  
  
“We’ll stop this,” Sharon huffed, looking past Richard at Rose.  
  
“Oh, will you?” He asked, raising an eyebrow. “I’ve been in Rose’s head three times Sharon. I’ve already changed it around so she connects her emotions for the Doctor to me instead. You should be worried about what else I put in there.” His expression darkened. “Migraines can be deadly, they overload the brain and heighten the risk of strokes.” The Silver Lord stepped even closer to them, his eyes flashing dangerously. “This plan allows me to have some fun, punish the Guardians and the Trickster gets to torment the Doctor, but there are other ways to get what I want. I will rip her apart and I hold control of her mind.”  
  
Both women were silent, her limbs heavy and their hearts pounding. “The others will know,” Shareen whispered. “They’ll know something is wrong.”  
  
“The companions who suspect Rose had a hidden boyfriend, they’re about to be proven right. Rose has hidden her relationship with the Doctor from them and the only other being on this planet that knows is the Xylok. He’s been ordered to never tell and the only person who can counter that order is Rose.” Richard glanced between the two of them and laughed. “Really girls, don’t make Rose lose her maids of honour because they are afraid the new husband will take her away from them. She values your friendship so very much.” He chuckled and brushed a speck of dust from the sleeve of his shirt.   
  
Stepping back from them, Richard gave them one last smirk and winked before he strode back inside. Shareen darted after him, reaching the doorway just in time to see him pull Rose against him and snog her. Jackie chuckled in the background while Richard moved a hand down to squeeze Rose’s bum. Flinching back, Shareen shuddered and turned to Sharon who had a shocked and frightened expression on her face.  
  
“What can we do?” Shareen asked, walking back to her friend.  
  
“I don’t know,” Sharon admitted, wrapping her arms around herself. She looked up at the sky as the stars began to come out and swallowed. “I really don’t know.”


	56. Bride of the Silver Lord: Chips

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Fifty-Six: Bride of the Silver Lord: Chips  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
………………………  
  
The long white wedding dress fit Rose beautifully, highlighting her toned curves while still appearing ladylike. It took all of Sharon’s self-control not to remark that the embroidery Rose had chosen it for was TARDIS blue. She stayed silent as Rose turned to the seamstress and thanked her for finishing the alternations on such a tight schedule. Pulling out her phone, Sharon scrolled down to Astra’s number and tried calling the girl again. There was only a few days left till Rose married the Silver Lord in disguise, but all attempts to contact Astra had failed.  
  
“These headaches are going to kill me,” Rose muttered as she moved towards the changing room, rubbing her forehead. “You know that I haven’t even been able to have sex with Richard since we got engaged because of them?”  
  
That news made Sharon perk up and she barely contained a grin. “Really?” she asked, trying to sound sympathetic.   
  
“Yeah,” Rose groaned as Sharon closed the changing room door behind them and started gently undoing the back of Rose’s dress. “I mean we’ve tried a few times, but I nearly black out from the headaches. The doctors don’t know what’s going on. The migraine pills don’t seem to be doing any good.”  
  
“Maybe your subconscious is trying to tell you something,” Sharon offered, leaning forward eagerly. She gasped softly as the diamond ring on Rose’s hand flashed in the light and Rose stiffened.  
  
“It’s just nerves,” Rose replied a moment later in a tense pained voice. “That’s all, it will all be fine once we’re married. Just four days to go.”  
  
“Yeah,” Sharon muttered as she stared at the ring. “Just four days to go.”   
  
She hung up the dress as Rose changed into back into her street clothes. The temptation to rip up the dress or damage it just a little more was nearly painful, but Sharon resisted. So far all attempts to remind Rose that something was wrong had failed, but the fear of Rose ejecting her and Shareen from her life stayed their hand when it came to more drastic measures. If they weren’t nearby, they couldn’t help her at all.  
  
“Let’s go and get some chips,” Rose suggested with a grin as she turned back around and looked at the wedding dress. Her smile dimmed for a moment and Rose blinked her eyes as her body tensed up. In the last month and a half, Sharon had come to recognise this as a sign that Rose was experiencing more pain. As a medical student, it bothered her profoundly, but Shareen had suggested that it was Rose’s mind fighting against whatever compulsions that the Silver Lord had shoved into her head.  
  
“Chips sound great,” Sharon replied gently with a forced smile, slowly taking her hand off the wedding dress. “When do the companions arrive?”  
  
“Ace gets here tonight,” Rose nearly cheered. “Jo’s having to take a long series of weird transportation so she’d not supposed to get here until the night before. Tegan, the Jacksons, Mel and Victoria all come in at various times tomorrow.” Rose chuckled and shook her head. “It’s a good thing we could do this today, I’m going to be at Heathrow at lot tomorrow.”  
  
“Pity they couldn’t just use the TARDIS,” Sharon suggested, watching Rose’s reaction carefully.  
  
Rose teased up again but nodded in agreement. “And too bad your superphone was destroyed,” Sharon added with a soft sigh. “Then the Doctor could have come.”  
  
“What to give me away?” Rose asked playfully, but her tone was pained. “Mum was so pleased when I asked her. Otherwise, I probably would have asked Ian, Benton or the General.”  
  
“Yeah,” Sharon replied weakly as they stepped out of the changing room.   
  
The attendant moved past them to recover the dress and Rose watched as the wedding dress was carefully wrapped in a protective cover. Stepping forward, Sharon took it from the attendant with a smile and headed for the door, leaving Rose to finish up with the attendant. There was puddle outside just past the curb and Sharon had to force herself not to toss the wedding dress in the puddle. Given it was wrapped in plastic, she probably could have gotten away with dipping it in the puddle, but instead, she unlocked Rose’s SUV and hung the dress up in the back. With a sigh, Sharon studied the dress as it hung mocking her. It really was a nice dress and the colour of the embroidered beads would have been perfect under other circumstances. As it was when this was over she wanted to destroy it.  
  
Rose came out of the dress shop a few moments later, talking on the new mobile phone she’d purchased two days after her engagement. Sharon thought this might have been the longest period Rose had ever gone without a superphone, but the Doctor was nowhere to be seen. With a grin, Rose hung up the phone and slipped it into the pocket of her jeans.  
  
“Shareen’s going to meet us for chips,” Rose informed Sharon cheerfully as she walked to the driver’s side door. She stopped when she was the dress hanging in the back and a strange expression crossed her face. “This is really happening,” Rose breathed before shaking her head. “I didn’t figure I’d get married so young.”  
  
“I figured you wouldn’t get married unless you dated the guy for years,” Sharon said, trying to sound like she was teased even as she sought to poke at the Silver Lord’s control.  
  
Rose climbed into the SUV and Sharon rushed to climb into the passenger’s seat. “It feels like I’ve known Richard for years,” Rose assured her, a wide smile replacing the previous odd expression. “And Sarah Jane and Ian didn’t date the long before they married.”  
  
“Yeah, but they didn’t feel the need for any secrets,” Sharon pointed out, her anger rising. “How have the others taken the mysterious boyfriend thing?”  
  
“Oh Jo had no problems with it,” Rose replied with a shrug as she pulled out in traffic. “After all, she ran off and married a guy she’d only just met and that’s worked great for them. The others were a bit hurt I never told them, but…” Rose trailed off with a shrug and turned on some music, ending the conversation.  
  
Slumping in her seat, Sharon tried to think of something else they could do. She felt over her head and the constant worry about Rose’s health wasn’t helping things. Shareen was worrying about the impact having her brain hacked would have on Rose even if they saved her from this and Sharon had to admit it was a valid concern too. Out of the corner of her eye, Sharon checked Rose over. Her friend had lost some weight which Sharon didn’t think she could afford to lose. Rose was as trim as ever, keeping up her kickboxing training for exercise, but there was a gauntness creeping into her face. For once, she’d hold off the teasing about Rose’s chip obsession.  
  
The silence in the SUV felt oppressive to Sharon, but Rose just hummed softly to the music, completely unaware of it. Sharon had to wonder what else the Silver Lord had ‘hacked’ in her friends’ brain. If anything Rose had always been the most observant and socially aware of the three of them. Finally, they pulled off the main road and parked the SUV down the street from Rose’s favourite chip shop in the area. Climbing out of the passenger seat, Sharon glanced around as a large bus pulled up to the curb. Shareen stepped off the bus a few moments later, spotting them quickly and giving them a tired wave. She looked exhausted by happy with her bun of brown hair beginning to fall around her face.  
  
“Hi Shareen,” Rose greeted, walking to meet the other girl halfway and giving her a hug. “You look beat.”  
  
“I am,” Shareen agreed with a forced smile. “But this internship is good for school,” she glanced over at Sharon. “You’re working on getting an internship right? Medical school requires it.”  
  
“I am,” Sharon promised calmly. “I’ve been thinking about sending a message to Benton’s office. I can’t imagine UNIT usually takes interns, but maybe they’d make an exception.”  
  
“Given that you both are probably on the recruitment list, they probably would,” Rose offered with a bright smile. She grabbed their hands and tugged them towards the door of the chip shop. She didn’t notice Sharon and Shareen exchanging a glance behind her. Rose released their hands so she could pull open the door, sending a strong burst of chip smell in the faces. “Gorgeous,” Rose sighed happily before vanishing inside.  
  
“I’m sorry you had to do the wedding dress solo,” Shareen apologised quickly.  
  
“I want to dunk the thing in mud,” Sharon growled.   
  
A strange grinding sound echoed around them as the wind kicked up. Sharon and Shareen glanced around hopefully, but the wheezing tone was slow and sluggish. It sounded like metal grinding on metal, like gears slipping in and out of place.  
  
“Is that-” Sharon started to ask, but the noise died down just as quickly as it had started. There was nothing new around them, certainly not the TARDIS.  
  
“No,” Shareen sighed, her shoulders slumping. “I guess not.”  
  
“Come on you two!” Rose called as she opened the door and gave them an impatient look. “Or I won’t save you any!”  
  
Exchanging another look, Sharon and Shareen followed Rose into the small chip shop. It was noisy with the employees behind the counter talking loudly to each other over the hiss of the cooking oil. The front of the store had a small collection of tables, about half of which had people sitting there.  
  
“Our timing is perfect,” Rose declared as they moved up to the counter. “They’ve started fresh batches for the lunch rush, but we’ve beaten them.”  
  
“Nice to see her chip thing hasn’t changed,” Sharon muttered under the breath to Shareen.  
  
Chuckling, Shareen nodded in agreement, hanging back with Sharon as Rose placed an order for all three of them and paid for the chips. They didn’t have to wait more than a minute before a steaming basket lined with paper with a small cup of vinegar was slid over the counter to Rose’s waiting hands. Turning to face them, Rose grinned and led them over to a small table in the corner where they crowded around over the basket of chips.  
  
“So how was the dress fitting?” Shareen asked calmly with a friendly smile.  
  
“It looks great,” Rose replied cheerfully. “I really love the embroidery, it makes it stand out.” Rose shrugged, “You know me, I was never too interested in the whole white wedding thing, but Mum would kill me if we tried to elope. And then Jo and Barbara would kill me.”      
  
“The embroidery is blue right,” Shareen pressed. “Did you pick it because it’s like the colour of the TARDIS?”  
  
Rose laughed, but then shrugged. “I like blue,” she said simply. “But the TARDIS may be part of the reason I like that shade of blue. You’re the one studying psychology, you tell me what that means,” Rose teased.  
  
“So…” Sharon asked slowly. “Any other wedding news?”  
  
“You two are my maids of honour, you know everything I know.” Rose huffed. “Of course that may change as soon as I get home. Mum is on super wedding mode. It makes me glad that we picked the same building Sarah Jane got married in, it limits how many people she can talk us into.”  
  
“How bad is the guest list?” Shareen questioned, worrying about any other tricks the Silver Lord might have.  
  
“Not bad, it’s mostly the companions and the people Richard and I know from UNIT plus you two.” Rose shook her head, “Given how Sarah Jane’s wedding went, I really don’t expect my wedding to occur smoothly.”  
  
“Alien body snatchers,” Sharon suggested with a laugh. “No, wait, a ship landing right outside to ask for directions.”  
  
“Or the return of Thane,” Rose sighed dramatically. “With the Judoon on his heels.” Rose paused and frowned thoughtfully. “Something is going to happen, I just know it,” She told them darkly. “Things have felt… off lately, I don’t know what it is. Mum says it’s just nerves. It doesn’t feel like cold feet or anything like that, there’s just this sense…” Rose flinched slightly and closed her eyes as a spike of pain when through her head. “I probably just need a get a good night’s sleep.”  
  
Her expression softened and she was smiling widely again. Standing up, Rose excused herself to the loo and navigated smoothly around the cluster of tables. Sharon and Shareen were both silent for several moments.   
  
“How’s she really doing?” Shareen asked in a low voice.  
  
“Not good,” Sharon answered with a shake of her head. “She mentioned that she’d fainting from the migraines whenever Richard tries to be physical with her.”  
  
“That’s both a relief and very worrying,” Shareen muttered with a shake of her head. “The Doctor is going to kill us.”  
  
“What can we do?” Sharon hissed, sounding stressed and defeated. “Rose doesn’t remember the truth and we’re the only ones who know it. We can’t get ahold of Astra, there haven’t been any letters from Eve, the superphone has been destroyed so we can’t call the Doctor and none of the companions knew that Rose was really with the Doctor. She’s being impaled on her own secretive sword.”  
  
“Speaking of sword,” Shareen murmured as she sat up a little straighter. “Is Rose’s sword still working?”  
  
“Why?” Sharon asked, blinking in confusion.  
  
“Well, if it wasn’t, that might prove to Rose that something in her head is different,” Shareen replied thoughtfully, slowly picking up a chip. “We just need to find a weak point in the armour and story he’s given her.”  
  
“There’s nothing,” Sharon sighed, slumping in the booth. “You just saw the same thing I did. Whenever she starts to think like that, she suffers a headache and everything snaps back to how the Silver Lord wants it. She doesn’t even see this marriage as conflicting with any of her plans to protect Earth.”  
  
“Of course not,” Shareen answered with a nod. “Richard is playing the perfect Prince Charming. He’s even got Jackie impressed and floating on air over him.”  
  
“Wonder what she’d think of the Doctor?” Sharon asked with a shake of her head.  
  
“Probably would depend on the body,” Shareen answered with a grimace. “The Silver Lord’s got us in a corner; I’ll admit that, but come on. If being Rose’s friend has taught me anything, it’s that even when you’re caught in a corner there is always a window to dive through.”  
  
“What are you thinking?” Sharon asked, a look of hope slowly dawning on her face.  
  
“If Rose doesn’t have doubts then we’ll look to the companions, Ace gets here tonight so we go with Rose to pick her up. Rose said that she thought Ace suspected her relationship with the Doctor. If we can convince a few of them to help us then we have more ideas and maybe Rose will listen.”  
  
“What about your worry about the damage it could do to her mind?” Sharon asked, leaning forward with a deep frown.  
  
“I’m starting to get more worried about what will happen if Rose says I do.”


	57. Bride of the Silver Lord: Suspicions

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Fifty-Seven: Bride of the Silver Lord: Suspicions  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
……………..  
  
Rose barely held back a yawn and rolled her tense shoulders as she looked up at the arrival board. Ace’s flight from New York was running a little late due to a delay in their takeoff, but it shouldn’t be too much longer. Sipping at a bottle of water, Rose dug out another migraine pill and quickly swallowed it. She moved away from the people moving through the arrival terminal and found a seat where she could keep an eye on the board. The gate wasn’t too far away so she’d be able to get there in plenty of time, even if Ace was in first class.  
  
Lowering her head slightly, Rose rubbed at the side of her face in an attempt to ease the constant headache that’d she’d been fighting with lately. She’d gone to see a neurologist despite Richard’s insistence that it was only stress, but the doctor had agreed with her fiancé. At least he’d given her some pain pills that made her feel normal most of the time, but Rose couldn’t understand why the headaches were getting worse. At this rate, she was starting to worry about her ability to function at her own wedding. She’d barely been able to eat anything for dinner before heading off the airport, at least her mum hadn’t noticed or had chalked it up to wedding nerves or something. Chips were about the only food she felt an excitement for now.  
  
An announcement that mentioned Ace’s flight number made Rose look up sharply. The board changed right before her eyes and despite the pain in her head, Rose grinned and climbed to her feet. She double checked that she had her shoulder bag before she wove her way through the people. The gate fed into the large main section with a long line of metal railings to separate passengers and the crowd. Already a crowd was gathering with drivers holding signs and kids straining over the rail. Rose found a spot near the middle where she could see the first passengers departing.  
  
Dorothy McShane, better known as Ace sighed in relief as she stepped out of the plane and into the gate area. She loved to travel, but years of travelling in the TARDIS had definitely spoiled her and made airplanes feel slow in comparison. She chuckled softly as she tightened her grip on the bag slung over her shoulder. At least turbulence didn’t bother her due to how often the TARDIS got thrown around. Still, she didn’t understand why Tegan had even wanted to make a living flying on the damned things. As she rounded the corner, Ace shook her head, still amazed that Rose Tyler was getting married and wondering how she had misread things so badly when Rose came to visit last summer.  
  
The brown haired woman was tired after the long flight despite having come in first class, but a wide smile took over her face when she spotted Rose waiting. Pulling her rolling bag after her, Ace quickly moved around the railings that blocked passengers from waiting family, friends or drivers. Rose rocked on her feet with an excited smile of her own and moved down the railings to meet Ace at the opening. Ace kept one hand on her bag but accepted an eager hug from Rose.  
  
“Hi, there kiddo,” Ace greeted warmly, ignoring the strands of Rose’s blonde hair in her face.  
  
“Hey Ace,” Rose greeted in return. “Thanks for coming.”  
  
“You’re getting married,” Ace replied as Rose let go of her and stepped back. “How could I not come for your wedding?” Ace frowned as she took in Rose’s narrower features and the bags under her eyes. “You’ve lost weight,” Ace observed worriedly.   
  
Nodding, Rose shrugged. “Just some muscle,” she explained. “I’ve been busy with the wedding and I’ve been having migraines lately.”  
  
“Migraines?” Ace repeated with a hint of alarm. “All of a sudden?”  
  
“There was this alien at Richard’s office the day he asked me to marry him. We think it’s just a residual side effect.”  
  
“That’s a pretty serious side effect,” Ace complained sharply as she followed Rose towards the main doors, talking loudly over the crowds packing Heathrow.  
  
“I’m fine,” Rose promised loudly.  
  
“So is the Doctor coming?” Ace asked once they stepped outside into the cold night air. “Does he know you’re getting married?”  
  
“Probably,” Rose replied with a shrug as she dug out her keys and started heading for her SUV. “He always seems to know what’s going on. But I’m not expecting him. My phone was destroyed so I haven’t heard from him.” Rose frowned and added, “And I haven’t heard from Eve either because of that. I know I can’t call her because of the phone, but I’m a bit surprised I haven’t gotten a letter from her.”  
  
The statement made Ace frown slightly. She’d heard enough about Rose’s adventures to know that the Doctor tended to drop by after her superphone was destroyed to replace it, in fact, it was something that had fueled Ace’s suspicions. She’d heard about Eve’s letters as well and it didn’t sound like Rose’s old friend to stay out of contact when such a major event in Rose’s life was happening.  
  
As they walked through the airport, Ace stopped when she heard an almost familiar grinding noise and a breeze blew through the terminal. Looking around, Ace waited for the TARDIS to appear before realising that the grinding was too harsh and almost pained. Rose hadn’t noticed and had pulled ahead of her. Ace’s frown deepened as the grinding and slight breeze vanished. Shaking her head, she quickened her pace to catch up with Rose and caught a few of Rose’s words about the upcoming wedding, but Ace couldn’t focus on it as questions started nagging at her.  
  
The drive into town was quiet with Ace fighting to stay awake. She hadn’t slept much the day before in preparation for switching back to London time. It wasn’t that late, but if she went to bed at a reasonable time she’d be switched over come morning. But as they hit the city limits of London proper and turned towards Ealing, she couldn’t take the silence anymore.  
  
“So Rose, tell me about Richard,” Ace suggested with a wide smile.  
  
“Uh… I told you all about him when I let you know I was engaged,” Rose replied giving Ace a glance out of the corner of her eye.  
  
“I know, but more details,” Ace pressed. “Come on, it’s just us girls.”  
  
“Okay… so what do you want to know?” Rose questioned slowly, blinking her eyes.  
  
“What do you like best about him?” Ace asked, trying to draw out some more information.  
  
Flashes of different smiles went through Rose’s head at the question. “His smiles,” she answered with a grin before shaking her head and correcting herself. “I mean his smile. Although he does have a couple. There’s his I’m brilliant smile, his I love you smile, his I’m about to do something utterly mad smile, his you’re brilliant and wonderful smile…”  
  
Ace found herself smiling at Rose’s cheerfulness and let Rose go on for a few more moments before asking a new question. “What drives you crazy about him?”  
  
“Uh?”  
  
“I mean any habits you don’t like?” Ace clarified, leaning back so she could watch Rose’s face.  
  
“Well, it depends…” Again Rose experiences some strange images that made no sense to her running through her head. “It would probably be that he can be a bit harsh in his views. They’re different from mine in some weird ways,” she said slowly, a frown creeping over her face. “Sometimes he can be really closed to counter arguments… but later on, he’s better at listening to me.”  
  
“You mean now he’s better at listening to you, right?” Ace asked, surprised by the odd word choice.  
  
“Yeah,” Rose agreed with a nod. “That’s what I meant.”  
  
Ace frowned, watching Rose as the girl blinked rapidly, fighting off a headache and trying to stay focused on the road. Normally she’d have suggested that Rose pull over and let her take over to be safe, but between her own exhaustion and the sudden spinning of worry in her head, it never crossed her mind. Instead, Ace fought the urge to keep asking questions or call Ian and find out what Rose had told him. She supposed that with it being summer, the male Chesterton probably hadn’t seen much of Rose. But as far as Ace knew he was the only one of the companions who had shared her suspicions.  
  
They turned onto Bannerman Road, Rose giving a small sigh of relief and Ace straightening up slightly in her seat as Rose’s home came into view. She looked over at Sarah Jane’s house, noting that a few lights were on, but quickly decided that talking to Sarah Jane could wait.  
  
“Oh Sharon and Shareen are here,” Rose noted as she pulled into the drive next to a small blue car. “Or at least Shareen is.”  
  
“Great,” Ace cheered, smirking slightly. Maybe she could get some answers. “Why are they here?”  
  
“Probably going over details with Mum,” Rose responded with a shrug. “They’ve been around a lot lately.” She grinned at Ace. “I’m wondering if they’re worried I’ll forget them once I marry Richard and move in with him.”  
  
“Right… you’re still living with your Mum,” Ace said slowly as she climbed out of the car. “Rather traditional isn’t it.”  
  
“Mum was pregnant with me when she married Dad,” Rose explained as she opened the back and retrieved Ace’s suitcase and Ace grabbed her shoulder bag. “She gave heavy hints that we should avoid that.”  
  
“Do you want kids?” Ace asked and Rose stopped.  
  
“I don’t think we can,” Rose answered with a frown. “I’m pretty sure that Richard has mentioned something… genetically incompatible.”  
  
“Genetically incompatible?” Ace repeated as Rose headed for the front door. “But- you’re both humans. If he had a genetic disease that he didn’t want to pass on that would be one thing, but genetically incompatible?”  
  
Rose shrugged and reached for the doorknob only to have Sharon pulled it open with a forced smile. “Hi Rose,” Sharon greeted, looking past Rose to Ace. “Welcome back to London Ace.”  
  
“Good to see you,” Ace answered with a nod as Sharon stepped to the side to let them into the house.   
  
“Mum around?” Rose asked as she set Ace’s suitcase down.  
  
“Already in bed,” Sharon replied, nodding towards the stairs. “Rita Anne’s been in bed for a couple of hours. Kept complaining about all the wedding prep being exhausting and needing rest.”  
  
“She’s old,” Rose answered with a shrug. “And I do want to her rested up for the wedding.”  
  
“Rita-Anne still seems unhappy with the marriage,” Sharon offered, glancing quickly towards Ace.  
  
“That’s just her being upset that Mickey and I didn’t end up together,” Rose replied as she headed for the living room where Shareen was sitting with stacks of paper and an open laptop.  
  
Ace watched as Rose hugged her two friends and both girls quickly greeted her. They seemed very on edge and uncomfortable around Rose which made her more concerned.  
  
“Mickey isn’t happy either,” Shareen added with a shake of her head. “But he has finally RSVPed.”  
  
“I don’t know what his problem is,” Rose grumbled as she sank into an armchair. “Richard protected me from the blast that almost killed Mickey.”  
  
“Yeah, but it was the Doctor who saved Mickey. I guess Mickey just always expected-” Sharon started to say.  
  
“Anyway, we’ve got the final guest list sorted and the table assignments done now,” Shareen interjected quickly, cutting Sharon off.   
  
“Oh you two are saints,” Rose cheered with a wide smile as she accepted the papers from Shareen. “Honestly, I can’t focus enough right now for this stuff so thank you.”  
  
“What are friends for but to help you plan your wedding,” Shareen replied with a forced smile. “Or to help you escape it.”  
  
Rose chuckled and shook her head just before there was a knock on the door. Jumping up, Rose walked past Ace towards the front door leaving Ace, Sharon and Shareen all watching each other. The door opened down the hall and a moment later they heard Rose’s voice.  
  
“Richard? What are you doing here so late?”  
  
Sharon and Shareen both flinched and tensed up making Ace narrow her eyes.  
  
“You left this at my place,” a smooth male voice answered. “I wasn’t sure if it was important.”  
  
“My notebook,” Rose sighed. “I was wondering. It has a bunch of my notes. I think we have everything written down elsewhere by now, but thank you. I just don’t know where my mind has been lately.”  
  
“Of course sweetheart,” Richard answered and there was a pause that made Sharon and Shareen both make faces, leading ace to assume they were kissing. “Sorry if I interrupted something.”  
  
“No trouble,” Rose rushed to assure him. “I just got back from picking up my friend Ace from the airport. Come on and meet her.”  
  
Sharon and Shareen both jumped to their feet and Ace straightened up in response as Rose reentered the living room with her fiancé. Richard Becket was a tall, attractive man with bright blue eyes and a charming smile. As his eyes moved to Sharon and Shareen, his smile turned to a smirk behind Rose’s back which made Ace narrow her eyes slightly. But as he turned to Ace, his charming smile was back. He wrapped one arm around Rose’s waist and held his free hand out towards her.  
  
“Richard Becket,” he greeted warmly. “I’ve heard a lot about you Ace. I’m so glad that you’ll be able to attend our wedding.”  
  
“I’d never miss Rose’s wedding,” Ace replied smoothly, calling on all her experiences running A Charitable Earth to stay calm and present a charming smile of her own.   
  
Richard held her hand a moment too long and gripped it a little too tightly before finally letting it go. Looking down at Rose, Richard asked her about her day and how the dress fitting went, seemingly completely at ease.   
  
Sharon straightened up as she noticed the frown on Ace’s face deepen. The older woman’s brown eyes were cold and flashing with suspicion, a sight that made Sharon want to cheer loudly. It was only the Silver Lord’s presence that stopped her from grabbing Shareen and Ace and vanishing around the corner to plot against him. Instead, Sharon kept a forced smile on her face and noticed Shareen glancing hopefully towards Ace.  
  
Finally Richard kissed Rose, a sight that made Sharon squirm and said his goodnights to Rose’s three friends. Rose followed him to the door to see him off and Ace shook her head. Sitting down on the sofa, Ace reached for her wine glass, her frown replaced with a thoughtful expression.  
  
“What is it?” Shareen asked gently, sitting down in the nearby overstuffed chair that was Jackie’s favourite.  
  
“He’s just…” Ace shook her head and made a forced laugh that was almost painful to hear. “I just thought Rose was… never mind.”  
  
“Dating the Doctor?” Sharon asked, stepping closer to Ace and sitting down next to her. “Rose told us that you hinted your suspicions last summer.”  
  
“Yeah,” Ace agreed carefully as she looked at the two young women. “It was silly, but I did think she was involved with him. Ian did as well, I haven’t talked with him since before Rose said she was engaged. I guess we’re both feeling a bit silly now.”  
  
Shareen glanced towards the front door, listening to it close. Leaning towards Ace, she whispered in a rush. “Except that you were right, Rose was dating the Doctor. The tenth incarnation to be exact until this guy did something to her mind.”  
  
“He’s the Silver Lord,” Sharon added, glancing frantically towards the living room doorway. “He planted mind control into Rose’s head at Sarah Jane’s wedding and has been building on it every time they’ve met since. Now he’s got control of her.”  
  
“He told us himself that he’s going this to get back at the Guardians and he’s allied with the Trickster-” Shareen informed Ace as they listened to Rose pick up Ace’s suitcase from the entry and start to carry it upstairs.  
  
“Someone who hates the Doctor and met Rose before,” Sharon cut in to explain quickly.  
  
“We don’t know what to do,” Shareen whispered desperately as Rose began to descend the staircase. “We’re out of our depth. At first, we didn’t want to risk triggering mental damage to Rose, but now just fighting the compulsions he put in her head is causing blackouts and bad migraines.”  
  
“And we don’t know what will happen if she does marry him,” Sharon added, crowding even closer to Ace.  
  
“And we can’t get ahold of the Doctor or the other people who could help. Astra isn’t answering her phone,” Shareen continued.  
  
“And Rose’s superphone with the TARDIS number and Captain Jack’s number was destroyed the day he did this,” Sharon finished in whispered rush just before Rose moved into the doorway.  
  
She gave her friends a tried smile, not noticing Ace schooling her features into a neutral mask. “You look exhausted kiddo,” Ace commented as she stood up from the sofa with a wide smile. “I think it’s time for you to get to bed.”  
  
“But-” Rose protested as her eyes swept over them.  
  
“But nothing,” Ace huffed, moving around the coffee table. “We’re your friends Rose, we don’t need you to play hostess. In fact, I’m staying with you to help remember. Otherwise, I’d be in a hotel like the others will be. The girls and I will just cover review a few details and call it a night.” Ace took Rose’s arm and steered her towards the staircase. “Now go on and get some rest. I’ll kick Sharon and Shareen out myself,” Ace added with a wink.  
  
Nodding weakly, Rose gave Ace a small smile and started climbing up the stairs. Ace remained at the bottom of the staircase until she heard Rose’s bedroom door close. Spinning around, Ace marched back into the living room and loomed over Sharon and Shareen.  
  
“Tell me everything, from the beginning this time.”


	58. Bride of the Silver Lord: Return of the Captain

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Fifty-Eight: Bride of the Silver Lord: Return of the Captain  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
……………..  
  
Sitting down on the coach, Ace rubbed her forehead and groaned softly. She saw Sharon and Shareen shifting nervously in front of her and took a deep breath to calm down before she yelled at the two young women. It wasn’t their fault. This was a strange situation and by their own admittance, she knew that Rose was usually in charge during a crisis. These two had experience with aliens, but not experience in being responsible for the resolution. Briefly, Ace wondered if this would be good or bad for them, but she had no plan to fix it either so she dismissed the judgmental thoughts.   
  
“Okay,” Ace said slowly as she glanced between the girls. “I see why she seems off…” Ace shook her head. “She really is with the Doctor then?”  
  
“It’s complicated,” Shareen replied with a nervous shrug. “Rose is dating his tenth incarnation and snogs his eleventh incarnation whenever he’s around, but her relationship is still only platonic with his ninth incarnation. Or mostly platonic. There’s definite tension there.”  
  
“I’m gonna kill that kid,” Ace muttered lowly, rubbing her forehead again. “I thought this might be what she hiding, but on the other hand it seemed too crazy.”  
  
“For what it’s worth, they really are good together,” Sharon offered carefully only to get a strange look from Ace.   
  
“Look we know he’s THE DOCTOR to you, but to us, he’s just Rose’s alien boyfriend,” Shareen defended with a shrug. “But right now we can’t get ahold of him.”  
  
“What about Spock?” Ace asked. “Does he have a way to contact the Doctor?”  
  
“We snuck into Sarah Jane’s house a couple weeks ago, but Spock and K-9 failed to contact the Doctor, he’s not in our time right now. K-9 promised to keep scanning, but his sensors are pretty limited, even with Spock’s help.”  
  
“And Spock is under standing orders from Rose not to reveal her relationship with the Doctor and only Rose can override that order. So there’s a limit to what he will try since his actions might reveal something to Sarah Jane.”  
  
“Why haven’t you told her?” Ace demanded with a frown.  
  
“You suspected,” Shareen reminded Ace. “We don’t know if anyone else does. Would they believe us? If they didn’t would they accidently cause a negative reaction in Rose if they mentioned it? What would the Silver Lord do if he found out?”  
  
“We’ve now hit desperation,” Sharon added with a sigh. “At this point, we’re more worried about what is going to happen if Rose says I do than what the Silver Lord will do to her now.”  
  
“Oh he’ll force her into permanent obedience for the rest of her life,” a male voice drawled from the doorway, but it wasn’t the Silver Lord.  
  
Ace and the girls spun sharply with alert expressions to see a tall dark haired man with a wide smile leaning against the entry to the living room. It was his flirty smile and the long grey coat that he wore that tipped Shareen off to his identity.  
  
“You’re Jack aren’t you?” Shareen asked slowly, hope creeping into her voice.  
  
“Captain Jack Harkness at your service ladies,” Jack answered with a widening smile as he strode into the living room. “I’m here to help.”  
  
“About time,” Sharon hissed. “We’ve been worried sick and you swan in at the last moment! You’ve better have something great!”  
  
“Don’t think for one second that I’m not worried about her too,” Jack remarked sternly, meeting Shareen’s eyes evenly. “I’ve been watching over Rose for years, stepping in when needed, but letting her live her life. I know you’ve had a rough couple of months, but like I said I’m here to help.”  
  
“I’m sorry,” Sharon replied quickly with an apologetic nod. “So what can you tell us?”  
  
“Okay here’s the thing, the Trickster’s power in this dimension is based on the agreement of a living thing to a deal. Once someone agrees then he has power over them. There have only been a few cases of someone managing to break a deal with the Trickster since they usually won’t remember breaking the deal. With me so far?”  
  
“Yes,” Ace assured him urgently. “So I take it that if Rose agrees to her vows that she will be bound by the Trickster.”  
  
“With the help of the Silver Lord, the Trickster has been able to boost his powers,” Jack verified with a nod. “Rose agreeing to the proposal gave the Trickster some power over her, he’s been able to influence her mind and keep her from questioning too much of the programming that the Silver Lord put into place. If Rose agrees to her vows at the altar then she’ll be bound by both their powers.”  
  
“Like if she promises to honour, love and obey then she’ll really be stuck having to do that?” Ace asked with wide eyes.  
  
“Yes,” Jack agreed with a grimace and disgusted expression. “She won’t have a choice in the matter. If she acts against the wishes of the Silver Lord after the agreement has become binding then she will suffer great mental pain and potential death.”  
  
“Why are they doing this?” Shareen demanded. “If they want her dead-”  
  
“They don’t,” Jack informed her seriously. “This isn’t about killing Rose Tyler; this is about controlling her and keeping her from living up to her potential. If they have their way she’ll never leave Earth, she’ll never travel with the Doctor and she’ll never aid the Guardians. That is what they are after. Rose is a tool to stick it to the Guardians and the Doctor right now.”   
  
“How can we help Rose?” Ace asked, crossing her arms and giving Jack a serious look.  
  
“With this,” Jack announced as he pulled out a small black box with a series of coloured lights and a large switch from a pocket. He held it out in the palm of his hand towards Ace. “The Silver Lord and Trickster combined have enough power to distort the temporal energies around Earth making it difficult for the TARDIS to get through. You’ve probably heard the Doctor trying.”  
  
“Yeah,” Ace replied with a frown. “There was this odd grinding at the airport and a wind. I thought it was the TARDIS, but it didn’t sound right.”  
  
“That’s the problem, the Doctor can’t get through and I’m pretty sure that the Silver Lord has been keeping an eye out for messages from Eve to intercept them. Of course, she’d know that so she may have decided not to even try,” Jack informed them seriously. “I had to go back two months and hang around to get around the temporal distortions.”  
  
“Can’t the Doctor do the same?” Ace asked, “I know he hates sitting still, but surely if Rose really is his…”  
  
“The Silver Lord isn’t looking for me,” Jack replied. “But he and the Trickster are on high alert for the Doctor. They’d know the moment he landed and they have Rose as a hostage. We have to just as tricky right now ourselves.”   
  
“Okay,” Sharon said with a nod before looking back at the small black box Jack presented. “So how does this help?”  
  
“This device is priming to blast down the temporal distortions so the TARDIS can get through, I dragged it through the Time-Space vortex and now it is gathering Artron energy. When it is fully primed the burst will let the TARDIS land and the Doctor can help Rose. She’ll need mental help very fast or there will be permanent damage to her brain from the Silver Lord’s meddling.”  
  
“So how do we prime this thing?” Ace asked as she gently took it from Jack’s hand.  
  
“All time travellers carry Artron energy,” Jack explained with a smile slowly taking over his face. “And the Silver Lord is being kind enough to gather together a whole lot of people with residual Artron energy. This device will suck up that radiation and finish priming. Just in time for the wedding.”  
  
“You’re an active time traveller,” Sharon protested. “Won’t it charge fastest with you?”  
  
“Maybe,” Jack agreed, but he glanced towards the stairs and the door. “But I’ve been a bit… altered over the years so the radiation I carry has also been altered slightly. I can’t guarantee that it will work from the radiation from me, but I can guarantee that it will work with the background radiation from Ace or Sarah Jane or Jo Jones. I’m not taking chances with Rose’s future.”  
  
“Agreed,” Ace replied with a nod before looking down at the small box. “So I need to keep this with me and around as many of the others as possible.”  
  
“Exactly,” Jack told her with a charming smile. “That will let the TARDIS through and the Doctor can rescue his girl. Plus he’ll even owe me one,” Jack added with a grin.  
  
An alarm on his wrist beeped and Jack glanced down at the strange device attached to his wrist. “I’ve got to go,” Jack informed them seriously. “Right now with both the Silver Lord and the Trickster on Earth I can’t stay in one place too long. I’ve done my job and delivered this to you, the rest is up to you and the Doctor.” He nodded to them seriously. “Good luck and stay safe.”  
  
“Wait,” Sharon called as Jack began to head for the head door. “That’s it?”  
  
“Time travel can be dangerous,” Jack told Sharon seriously. “And right now I’m a hell of a meal for the Silver Lord so I need to stay two steps ahead of him so he doesn’t become a worse threat. Oh and one more thing, when I first meet you, don’t mention this.” Jack told Sharon and Shareen. “That’s in my past and you’ll mess up the timelines.”  
  
“When will that be?” Shareen questioned, raising an eyebrow.  
  
“A few years to you in Cardiff,” Jack replied with a cheerful smile and a chuckle. “We’ll be stopping to let the TARDIS soak up energy from the rift and you come up to visit with Rose.”   
  
“What about Astra?” Sharon asked before she thought better of it. “We haven’t been able to reach her… is she?”  
  
“Astra’s fine,” Jack promised, holding up his hands and gesturing for her to calm down. “You forget that it's summer time and she’s out of school right now. Astra is only on Earth to attend university and goes home during the summers. You must have her Earth phone number, not her superphone.”  
  
“Then she’s okay?” Shareen sought to confirm, giving a small sigh of relief. “Really?”  
  
“Really,” Jack assured her with a nod. “I know it seems strange, but nothing that is happening is changing the history of Rose Tyler. When I was younger she referred to her ‘first attempt down the aisle’ and even told the Doctor and me that it had been a trap by an alien. I know it seems crazy, but thus far the Trickster and the Silver Lord have not changed anything. Rose’s future is still to travel with the Doctor after she finishes school and Astra is still going to be born. We just have to make sure it stays that way.”  
  
Ace gasped softly, her eyes widening and Jack grinned at her while giving Ace a wink. “Trust me, ladies, I hate to leave so quickly, but the fate of the world and all that.”  
  
Jack turned back to the front door and vanished outside, closing the door behind him and leaving Rose’s three friends standing in her living room looking at a small black box. “Well,” Ace finally sighed with a weak chuckle. “At least we’ve got a plan.”  
  
“Yeah, only it cuts things a little close,” Shareen muttered. “If it isn’t primed before the wedding then we may have to stall just to make sure Rose doesn’t end up married.”  
  
“It’ll work out,” Ace told her firmly as the front door closed with a click. She turned to them and crossed her arms over her chest. “And Astra is?”  
  
“Yeah,” Shareen replied with a small nervous shrug. “She’s exactly what you think: Rose and the Doctor’s daughter. Her timeline crosses her mother’s from time to time.”  
  
“But you can’t tell Rose,” Sharon insisted quickly. “Rose has no idea that Astra is actually her daughter.”  
  
Ace stared at them in stunned silence for a moment before a harsh laugh escaped her. Shaking her head, Ace put a hand over her mouth to muffle the sound. “Oh that kid is going to have to answer for so much once she’s back to normal,” Ace muttered with a resigned sigh. “But the first thing is to get her back to normal.”  
  
“So what’s the plan?” Shareen asked, stepping closer to Ace.  
  
“I spend time with Sarah Jane and the Chestertons with the box, the quicker it charges up the better. Also, I try and figure out if it is safe to tell them. Too many people watching the Silver Lord may tip him off so we still have to be careful. If we’re lucky it will be working before the wedding, if not then we figure out a way to stall the wedding. Then after Rose is safe, I yell at her and the Professor for keeping secrets and getting themselves into this mess.” Ace huffed and carefully placed the black device in her pocket. “But first, I need sleep. I’m too jet-lagged to have a civil conversation with Rose.”  
  
Turning on her heel, Ace left Sharon and Shareen standing in the living room watching her as she climbed up the stairs to the guest room. “I’m both impressed and intimidated,” Sharon muttered.  
  
“I think I understand why despite how close she is to Sarah Jane, Ace is Rose’s favourite,” Shareen said with a stunned nod.  
  
“Yeah,” Sharon agreed slowly before she shook her head and reached for her purse. “We’d better get home ourselves. I haven’t slept well in weeks.”  
  
“I’m not sure I’ll sleep well,” Shareen informed her friend as she followed her to the front door, shutting off the lights as she went. “Too many things can still go wrong.”  
  
“But at least we have a plan,” Sharon reminded her as they closed and locked the Tyler’s front door behind them. “That’s a lot more than we’ve had for the last month and a half.”  
  
“Sadly true,” Shareen sighed as she climbed into the car. They looked up in time to see the last light in the house switch off before they pulled out of the drive and headed for their flat.


	59. Bride of the Silver Lord: Morning of the Wedding

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Fifty-Nine: Bride of the Silver Lord: Morning of the Wedding  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
……………..  
  
The day of the wedding was a bright sunny day in early August with birds singing outside and the curtain fluttering in the breeze of the cracked open window. Rose woke slowly with a fuzzy head and the sense that she was forgetting something very important as her phone chirped on her nightstand. She’d had strange dreams, but they slipped away as soon as Rose pushed back her duvet and turned off the phone alarm.   
  
Rolling her shoulders, Rose sighed and looked around her room. For a moment, she sat there quietly trying to recapture the dreams, but then Rose began to look around her room slowly. Her wedding dress hung on a small hook on her door, protected in plastic and shimmering in the low morning light coming through the window. Sighing, Rose quickly looked away from the dress and allowed herself to take in the crammed bookshelf, the desk covered with art supplies and the unfinished paintings leaning against the wall next to the bed.  
  
It was strange to think that she wouldn’t really be living here anymore after today. Not that she’d really spent much time here; they’d moved in the summer before Rose started university. Rose had even insisted that Jackie select the house since she’d be the primary resident. But she’d grown fond of the place and the neighbourhood with the Chesterton-Smiths around the corner and Rani and Clyde just down the street.   
  
Now, she’d be moving in properly with Richard in a suite of rooms he owned in a large London townhouse. It was a nice place in a great neighbourhood, but also close to a train station so it would be easier for her to travel back and forth from Cambridge when she wanted to. The problem was that it looked like a catalogue, very attractive, but impersonal. Richard had assured her that as they lived together and built their new life the place would become brighter and had already invited her to redecorate after they got back from their honeymoon.  
  
The word gave Rose pause and her eyes dropped to the small suitcase that was packed and waiting. She’d be taking it with her to the wedding and changing in her dressing room there so they could be sent off by their friends. Rose now regretted that she wouldn’t get to spend more time with her friends who had flown in to see her married, but Richard’s busy schedule and her need to return to Cambridge in early October gave them limited options. They were heading off to Morocco, a place that Rose had never been before. She’d packed light, a habit from all of her UNIT trips. Anything she found she needed she could get in Morocco and it would be easy to ship any gifts she got for the others back to England. Sighing again, Rose climbed out of bed and moved over to the mirror.  
  
“I’m getting married today,” she told her reflection while she tried to force a smile. Instead, she grimaced as a jolt of pain went through her head.  
  
Raising her hand to her head, Rose massaged the sides of her face gently and waited for the headache to die down. It did quickly and she breathed out slowly in relief. More awake now, Rose studied her reflection a bit more critically. Thankfully the stress hadn’t produced too much of a breakout and she looked decently rested. Plus she’d see a professional stylist in only a couple of hours. Originally Jackie had wanted to do her hair and makeup, but Rose had talked her out of it, pointing out that as her Mum she needed her to be calm and watching over proceedings. Movement in the corridor outside of her bedroom made Rose turn to look towards the door.  
  
“Good morning Rita Anne,” her mother’s voice greeted, excitement radiating in her voice.  
  
“Morning Jackie,” Mickey’s grandmother replied, sounding sleepy and not completely awake.  
  
“The wedding is today,” Jackie nearly squealed.  
  
“Ah, yes it is isn’t it,” Rita Anne chuckled warmly. “Why don’t you go and make Rose something for breakfast. Nothing heavy, but she really should eat and I’ll make sure she’s awake.”  
  
“Good idea,” Jackie agreed in a voice that was getting higher and higher. “I can’t believe it’s finally happening!”  
  
 Rose was silent as she heard her mother head for the stairs and picked up her brush. Running it through her hair, Rose didn’t focus on any specific thoughts, letting her mind drift. A soft knock on her door a few moments later made her sigh.  
  
“Morning,” she called. “You can come in.”  
  
Rita Anne pushed open the door and stepped into view, leaning on her cane. She came to a stop and looked over at Rose, watching for her a few minutes. The woman’s eyesight wasn’t good anymore, but Rose could feel the weight of the gaze.  
  
“Nervous?” the old woman asked her after a few silent moments.  
  
“I don’t think so,” Rose answered even as her stomach twisted. “Happy that the day is here I guess.”  
  
“You guess?” Rita Anne repeated with a teasing smirk. “Better practice a smile then at least for the guests if you can’t manage an honest one.”  
  
Rose flinched at the statement and turned to look at Rita Anne. “It’s not that,” Rose insisted quickly. “I just can’t seem to focus.”  
  
“Well, that’s what the bridesmaids and the mother of the bride are for,” Rita Anne reminded her with a considering look. “Mind you girl, if you’re second guessing then its best to deal it before you make a promise you don’t want to live under.”  
  
“I love Richard,” Rose promised Rita Anne. “It’s just hitting me how fast we moved to marriage, but it will be alright.”  
  
The older woman hummed but said nothing more. She turned and sniffed at the air. “You’ve got a few minutes before breakfast is on the table. Once that’s done things will start to move fast.”  
  
“Thanks, Rita Anne,” Rose replied with a forced smile.  
  
As Rita Anne moved down the hallway towards the stairs, Rose resumed brushing out her long blond hair and tied it back in a messy bun for the time being. Moving around her room, she packed up her makeup and some hair supplies. Avoiding looking at her wedding dress, Rose straightened up her room and put her art supplies away. She returned a few stray books to the shelves and made her bed. A shout from downstairs finally made her stop. Rose pulled on her dressing gown and headed downstairs to breakfast as a long to-do list began to take over her mind.  
       
It was rare to see Jackie with so much energy and drive, usually, her mum was happiest in the garden working at a slow pace on her flowers or gossiping with her mates. This morning, however, he mum was humming softly as she moved through the kitchen. Rose sat down and soon found a plate of eggs, bacon and beans in front of her.  
  
“Just eat what you can sweetheart,” Jackie told her warmly as she made up a plate for herself and another one for Rita Anne. “Don’t force it,” her mother cautioned. “I nearly made myself ill on your father and I’s wedding day.”  
  
Nodding, Rose filed away that bit of information and started with a forkful of eggs. Rita Anne joined them a few moments later and accepted the plate from Jackie. Rose ate calmly, but Jackie was almost vibrating with excitement.  
  
“It’s a shame that only you are here to see this Jackie,” Rita Anne observed sadly. “Pity that Richard’s parents are both deceased.”  
  
“I know,” Jackie sighed as she looked over at Rose. “I know Pete would have loved to be here to give away his little girl.”  
  
Looking back down at her breakfast, Rose swallowed thickly and forced herself to eat a few more bites before pushing the plate away. Announcing she was going to shower, Rose returned upstairs and locked herself in her bathroom. She looked in the mirror and paused, wondering for the first time if her dad would have liked Richard. Her mum certainly did, but Richard was rich, charming and intelligent. Would her father have had different standards for the person she married? What would he have cared about?  
  
The question made Rose frown and she studied her reflection, trying to note the bits of her dad in her face. She looked a lot like her mother, but the slight red highlights in her hair came from her father and she fancied her eyes might be a bit like his. Pushing her hair behind her ear, Rose felt a twitch of guilt for not thinking about him more during the preparation. She was now certain that her mother had been, probably lamenting the fact that he couldn’t be here for this. Of course, that would require time travel and having to explain who she was… Rose shook her head and laughed softly at herself. Even though the Doctor was her friend that was just asking for a temporal problem, besides the Doctor didn’t even know she was getting married.  
  
Sighing, Rose turned on the water and stepped into the warm stream of water. It had been awhile since she’d thought much about the Doctor, her mind had been so full of Richard lately. She already regretted the loss of her superphone and wished that he’d shown up more recently, but things had been remarkably quiet in July. It would have been nice to have him at least know that he was welcome at her wedding after all, he and Donna had attended Sarah Jane’s wedding.  
  
The memory of Sarah Jane’s wedding made Rose frown and she was struck once again by the strange feeling that she was forgetting something. Maybe something the Doctor had said… a jolt of pain signalled a headache and Rose sighed deeply, turning her face into the warm water. The stress was definitely getting to her. Hopefully, some relaxing time away with her new husband would help. If it didn’t then she was going to see the UNIT medical staff again and having a fresh brain scan done, whether Richard thought it was necessary or not.  
  
Jackie was waiting for Rose in her room and a wide smile. Sitting down on the edge of her bed, Rose allowed her mum to gently towel dry and comb out her long hair. They were both silent, enjoying the moment of calm together. When Jackie picked up the hairdryer to speed things along, Rose swallowed.  
  
“Thanks, Mum,” she said in a rush.  
  
Jackie hugged her gently from behind and answered, “You’re welcome, love,” in a thick voice.  
  
Things moved at a fast past after the quiet mother-daughter moment as they packed up Rose’s gown, makeup and some hair accessories. Her suitcase was placed in the back of her SUV and her gown was hung carefully in the back with Rita Anne watching over it. Taking a deep breath, Rose climbed into the driver’s seat and looked over at the house as her mother locked it up. They’d checked the place over to make sure they weren’t forgetting anything at least twice, but her mother had insisted checking one more time.  
  
Suddenly a car pulled up on the street and a man in his mid-twenties in a cheap suit stepped out. He noticed them in the SUV and his eyes widened with a hint of panic. Rose watched him rushed up to her window in the mirrors and lowered the window when he gently tapped on it.  
  
“Excuse me,” the man said quickly. “But I have a message for Rose Tyler. Our instructions were to be certain it was delivered this morning. Is she around?”  
  
With widening eyes, Rose glanced at the logo on the man’s satchel and grinned. “I’m Rose Tyler,” she answered quickly. “It’s a letter from the Wallace Estate right?”  
  
“Yes,” the man replied with a look of relief. Through the open window, he handed Rose the notice of receipt which she signed quickly before cheerfully taking the letter from him. “Thank you, Miss Tyler,” he added as she stepped back from the SUV. “I’m glad I caught you.”  
  
“Me too,” Rose answered as she started tearing open the envelope. “Have a good day.” Rose didn’t bother to watch him go as she pulled out the letter.  
  
“What is that?” Rita Anne asked, leaning forward as much as she could manage.  
  
“A letter from a friend,” Rose answered quickly as she unfolded it.  
  
As her mother climbed in next to her, Rose frowned at the simple message from Eve: Trust your instincts.   
  
“Rose,” Jackie called, reaching over and shaking her shoulder. “Is something wrong sweetheart?”  
  
“No,” Rose assured her quickly, folding up the letter and slipped it into her bag. “Let’s get moving shall we?”  
  
“Alright,” Jackie answered slowly, still watching her face.  
  
Rose forced a small smile and pulled the SUV out of their drive, trying to put the strange message from Eve out of her mind, but not managing to do so.


	60. Bride of the Silver Lord: Speak Now

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Sixty: Bride of the Silver Lord: Speak Now  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
……………………………  
  
“We should have gotten a better venue,” Jackie muttered as she adjusted Rose’s train for the tenth time. “It’s not like we couldn’t afford it. Someplace really stunning!”  
  
“Mum,” Rose sighed, her patience running out quickly. “Richard and I wanted a place outside of town just in case of problems.”  
  
“You mean aliens,” Jackie huffed, finally taking her hands off the dress and stepping back. “Why won’t you at least retire from that nonsense?”  
  
“I like what I do Mum. Besides if I didn’t work for UNIT as the consultant then I wouldn’t have met Richard,” Rose countered with a smile.   
  
“What about school?” Jackie asked, shaking her head even as she smiled at the vision Rose presented in white in contrast to the rosy pink dress that her mother was wearing.  
  
“We’ll be living in my place in Cambridge until I’m done,” Rose assured her mother. “Richard is going to split his time working remotely and commuting into London. He’ll have to stay in town sometimes, but it’ll work for a few years. Once I’m done I’ll move back to London.”  
  
“You’re marrying the most understanding bloke in the world,” Jackie sighed, sounding both distressed and pleased. “I can’t imagine your father being happy with me rushing off around the world and getting myself into danger.”  
  
Rose frowned slightly at the mention of her father who’d been killed in a hit and run outside where he’d been attending a wedding. She’d been trying to avoid thinking about it, but suddenly found herself feeling grateful for the long drive that separated the wedding hall from the main road. There wouldn’t be any chance of something like that happening at her wedding, but Rose still felt a strong sense of unease.  
  
“Mum,” Rose asked in a softer tone. “Will you go check on the decorations? Oh and please make sure that the favours are organised, I don’t want to risk those being forgotten.”  
  
“Of course,” Jackie replied in a more cheerful voice. “Just be careful not to smudge your makeup or mess your hair. And be careful if you sit down,” her mother lectured as she headed for the doorway.  
  
Once her mother was gone, Rose took in a slow deep breath to calm down. The dressing room she was using was the same one that Sarah Jane had used for her own wedding. Now Rose was wondering if she had jinxed herself in doing that. Moving carefully, she went to the trifold mirror and studied her reflection.  She tried to smile as she took in the beautiful picture that she made dressed in white with her hair elegant styled on top of her head with small flowers, but Eve’s simple warning made her uneasy. Was something going to attack after all? Her fingers moved to her sword bracelet and she paused, the metal felt strangely cold. Rose wondered why she hadn’t noticed before. Was something wrong with her sword? A jolt of pain made her inhale sharply as another migraine threatened.  
  
Spinning away from the mirror, Rose nearly kicked her waiting suitcase in her haste to grab the small bottle of pain pills that were waiting on the dressing table. She swallowed one down quickly just before the dressing room door opened. Sharon and Shareen stepped inside and closed the door behind them. Both of her friends looked worried, but gorgeous in their matching light blue gowns. Rose smiled approvingly, they looked great and the dresses were simple enough that they’d have plenty of chances to wear them again.  
  
“You okay?” Rose asked as her friends came closer.  
  
“You look beautiful,” Shareen breathed as she took Rose in.  
  
“Thank you,” Rose replied with a widening smile as she resisted the urge to twirl.  
  
The alternations to the dress were perfect with the gown complimenting her figure beautifully. Rose loved how the bit of blue added a touch of colour and had even managed to get the fabric of her bouquet to match. Her fingers brushed the white fabric carefully, not wanting to smudge any makeup or dirt on it.  
  
“So how are things downstairs?” Rose asked, trying to not show her growing sense of worry.  
  
“So far so good,” Sharon answered calmly with a slight shrug. “Ace is with the other companions, but they’re keeping the alien talk down because of Rita Anne and the couple of people that Richard invited. General Lethbridge-Stewart is here with Brigadier General Benton, Kate, Tosh and Malcolm. Oh, Frost sends her apologises, but Benton couldn’t have all the officers away from UNIT.”  
  
“He said most of the scientific leadership being here was bad enough,” Shareen added with a soft laugh, “But informed us that Malcolm and the others couldn’t be swayed.”  
  
Rose smiled and nodded. “I’m glad they let Tosh come,” she told them gently. Rose glanced towards the clock hanging by the door. “What about seating?”  
  
“Luke and Clyde are doing fine as ushers,” Shareen reassured Rose. “Clyde is even demonstrating that he does have good manners and Rani is keeping an eye on him.”  
  
“Good,” Rose sighed softly in relief. “Everything is alright then?” she asked again, nibbling at her lip.  
  
“Yes,” Shareen told her with a nod, studying Rose’s face. “Everything except you. Are you okay Rose?”  
  
A look of panic crossed Rose’s face at the question for a moment and she blinked uncertainly at Shareen.  
  
“I want to get married,” Rose explained in a rush. “I just… I’m feeling like I’m forgetting something or… something isn’t right.” Rose took a quick breath. “I got a letter from Eve just before we left the house. She didn’t give any details, just said to trust my instincts.”  
  
“Really?” Shareen asked, her face lighting up. “What do you think that means?”  
  
“I’m not sure,” Rose admitted with a frown. “But keep an eye out for anything alien. I’d bet my motorcycle that the Silver Lord or Trickster or Thane will do something to mess this up for me.”  
  
Shareen and Sharon exchanged a look and Sharon opened her mouth to say something, but Jackie strode back into the room with a victorious smile. “Everything looks perfect downstairs,” Jackie announced. “We’re almost there. Let’s double check,” Jackie added quickly. “Something old: your grandmother’s necklace, something new: the dress itself, something borrowed?”  
  
“I borrowed Sarah Jane’s earrings and I’ve got blue in my dress and the bouquet,” Rose informed her mother with a soft chuckle as she picked up the bouquet from the dressing table to show off the blue ribbon.  
  
“Good,” Jackie answered with a nod of approval. “And you’ve got sixpence in your shoe?”  
  
“Uh,” Rose paused and then slowly shook her head.  
  
“This is why we check,” Jackie informed her before moving to a small bag on the dressing table. Her mother dug around for a moment before returning with a small coin.   
  
Sharon moved forward and held Rose’s hand to keep her steady as Jackie pulled off her heel just enough to slip the coin under Rose’s foot. “I’m pretty sure this tradition doesn’t take open toed heels into account,” Rose groaned with a glance towards Sharon. “Mum I really don’t think these traditions-”  
  
“The weight of your foot will put it in place,” Jackie assured her as she stood up without worrying about Rose’s objection. “And now you’re ready.” Jackie marched to the doorway and glanced around outside. “Alright girls, let’s get moving.”   
  
Rose carefully followed her mother, but Sharon caught her arm gently. “If you have doubts Rose then that’s okay,” Sharon told her quickly. “Like Eve said trust your instincts.”  
  
“I don’t have doubts about Richard,” Rose informed her friend with a frown. “I just… feel like I’ve forgotten something. That’s all.” Rose swallowed and glanced between Shareen and Sharon. “Come on, you’re my best mates.”  
  
“Of course we are,” Shareen promised with a soft smile. “And we’ll be keeping an eye out for anything weird going on.”  
  
“Plus I’m pretty sure everyone from UNIT present is armed,” Sharon added with a forced grin.  
  
“I know Mickey is,” Shareen muttered. “Just hope that he doesn’t object.”  
  
“He wouldn’t do that to me,” Rose replied with a chuckle before taking a deep breath. “Better get to the aisle.”  
  
She moved to follow her mother but stopped when her bracelet suddenly became even colder. Looking down, Rose frowned as the golden cuff bracelet opened and fell to the floor with a soft thunk. Sharon and Shareen both gasped and Rose moved to pick it up only to suddenly fall against the doorway clutching at her head.  
  
“Rose?” Shareen called, moving forward. “Are you okay?”  
  
“I’m fine,” Rose managed through grit teeth as she took a long deep breath. “I’m fine,” she added as she stood back up and checked her dress over. “Just a touch of a migraine.”  
  
“This has gone too far,” Sharon growled as she knelt down to pick up the bracelet. “Rose something is very wrong. You can’t get married.”  
  
“I have to get married,” Rose snapped as the ring on her finger flashed. “I have to,” Rose repeated in a more normal voice. “This is just stress. I’m worrying too much about aliens ruining my wedding. Things will be fine once Richard and I are married.”  
  
“And the bracelet?” Sharon asked, holding it out towards Rose. “Your Star Knight sword just abandoned you Rose, that can’t be a good sign.”  
  
“The sword is linked to my brain waves,” Rose explained with a sigh. “It’s the same as the migraines, I’m sure after thing normalise a bit that it will be fine.” Rose took a deep breath and looked at her two friends seriously. “We need to get downstairs, are you two still with me?”  
  
Shareen sighed but nodded. “For better or for worse we’re with you,” she promised which made Rose smile.  
  
“Downstairs,” Rose repeated. “I have to get married.”  
  
As Rose disappeared out the door, Sharon carefully set the bracelet down on the dressing table. “I hope Jack’s plan works,” Sharon muttered. “Otherwise….”  
  
“It’ll work,” Shareen insisted.  
  
“Even if it does, the medical student in me is now very worried that those bastards have given Rose permanent brain damage.”   
  
“She’ll be fine,” Shareen repeated bravely. “I don’t believe that Jack and the Doctor would risk this happening if it didn’t turn out alright.”  
  
“Let’s hope so,” Sharon answered slowly before she picked up her bouquet and handing Shareen’s to her. “We’d better get downstairs.  
  
…………………………….  
  
Ace took her seat next to Jo Jones and the Chesterton-Smiths slowly, still glancing around for any signs of weird technology. Richard was already standing up front with the minister and speaking with him in a low voice. Narrowing her eyes, Ace had to fight down the urge to walk up and smack the man. Right now she’d give almost anything for her old supercharged by the Hand of Omega baseball bat; that would knock the smirk off of his face.  
  
Brigadier General Benton and General Lethbridge-Stewart sat down behind her, beside the Chestertons. All around them, people were taking their seats and she couldn’t help but notice that there were very few people on Richard’s side. Many of them looking bored and tired, maybe they were business associates or employees rather than friends. Clyde and Luke were showing people to their seats with Rani whispering to them every so often.  
  
Ace carefully pulled the small device that Jack Harkness had given them from her purse while keeping her eyes on Richard. When she’d arrived at the wedding she could have sworn that she’d heard the TARDIS, but it hadn’t materialised.  Glancing to the side, she saw Rani lean towards a tablecloth covered table and whisper something.   
  
“I can’t believe they brought the dog,” Jo whispered to her with a chuckle.  
  
“The dog?” Ace repeated.  
  
“Apparently K-9 is under the table. Luke said that he’s beaming the footage of the wedding to Spock so he can see.”  
  
“Really?” Ace asked, leaning so she could catch a glimpse of the robot dog. “That’s an odd choice to do it.”  
  
“Sarah Jane says that the kids don’t like Richard,” Jo explained with a sight. “Something that Spock said about not disobeying orders.”   
  
“What do you think?” Ace asked carefully.  
  
Jo shrugged and nodded towards Richard. “He seems nice and knows the big secret. I can’t really talk since I married a man I’d only just met.”  
  
“Rose seems a bit off though,” Ace pressed with a frown.  
  
“I agree,” Sarah Jane whispered from the other side of Jo. “She’s been having terrible migraines, but won’t see a doctor. Normally Rose is more careful than that.”  
  
Ace leaned closed, crowded up against Jo and holding the device firmly. “She did seem strange when I arrived and Sharon and Shareen are very worried about her.”  
  
“It may just be stress,” Sarah Jane told her with a shrug. “After all Rose was present when alien things happened at my wedding.”  
  
Behind them, General Lethbridge-Stewart chuckled and Brigadier General Benton snorted before informing them, “Lt. Colonel Frost is standing by with forces for when this goes wrong.”  
  
“You think it will?” Jo asked Benton with wide eyes.  
  
“Thorn is getting married,” Lethbridge-Stewart muttered as he looked towards Richard. “How could it not.”  
  
“Especially with the wrong groom,” Benton added darkly, glaring at Richard’s back.   
  
Lethbridge-Stewart shook his head at Benton’s remark and then chuckled softly. “Still believing those rumours then are you? Let it go, Benton, you’ve lost the money in the pool.”  
  
“For the moment,” Benton replied, not noticing the smirk on Ace’s face.  
  
………………………  
  
Jackie shifted with excitement before the doors of the main room as Rose hooked their arms together. “This is it, love,” Jackie said softly. “You’re getting married.” There were tears in her eyes, but Jackie refused to let them fall. Her mother looked over at her and glanced up and down for a final check.  
  
“Aren’t you going to move your ring?” her mother asked, glancing down at the engagement ring still on Rose’s left hand.   
  
Rose’s eyes dropped down to the ring and she blinked at it in mild confusion. Jackie huffed slightly, reaching towards Rose’s left hand. The ring moved slightly and started to slide off her finger for the first time since Richard had put it on. Rose breathed in deeply as her vision cleared slightly and things around her became a little sharper. Behind her, she heard Sharon and Shareen suck in quick startled breaths. The music started, signalling it was time for them to join the procession. Quickly, Jackie dropped Rose’s hand and started them forward, allowing the ring to remain where it was. She had to tug Rose’s arm slightly as the confusion over the ring lingered over Rose for a moment longer.  
  
Behind her, Rose knew that Shareen and Sharon were following them up the aisle. Up ahead she could see Richard with his back to her, facing towards the minister. Focusing on him, Rose kept walking and did her best to smile; hoping that the unease she was feeling didn’t show. She reached the end of the aisle and Jackie relinquished her hand to Richard, barely containing a sob. Rose felt very alone as Sharon and Shareen moved away to sit in the first row of the congregation. Her mother muffled the soft crying sounds she was making as she joined them. Now it was just her, Richard and the minister.   
  
“Welcome everybody,” the minister greeted with a wide smile. “We have been chosen to witness this very special moment in Rose and Richard’s life. They are going to be united by the holy bond of marriage. This special moment is one that they will carry with them throughout the rest of their lives and we will be honoured to carry the memory alongside them.”   
  
Ace tensed as the minister began to speak and looked down frantically at the small device. She’d spent time with the other companions, talking with Sarah Jane and Mel, listening to Jo’s stories, but there was still nothing. Swallowing, she caught Shareen’s eyes as the young woman tried enough to look back at her and shook her head carefully. Maybe they could stall or maybe she could object…  
  
The small device beeped softly and the row of lights on the surface suddenly lit up. Sighing in relief, Ace pressed the button hard with her thumb and waited. Nothing happened and she pressed it again, holding it longer this time. The lights dimmed and the beeping stopped leaving her tense and worried.  
  
“Ace?” Jo called softly, glancing towards Rose for a moment before looking back at her. “Are you alright? What is that?”  
  
Then there was a soft wheezing noise, just barely audible that made Ace and Jo both sit up straight. The noise grew louder, but the minister didn’t stop his speech. Looking over her shoulder, Ace noted some of the other companions reacting to the faint noise. The wheezing grew louder only for a moment and then vanished.  
  
“If anyone present has reason why these two should not be married please speak now,” the minister announced.  
  
The back door flew open and a man in a long brown trench coat rushed into the room. Turning, Ace gasped as the Tenth Doctor shouted, “Stop this wedding now!”  
  
“Oh thank god,” Shareen cheered, sagging with relief.  
  
“Master!” K-9 called, coming out from his hiding place.   
  
Rose’s eyes widened and she gasped as she stared at the Doctor. Their eyes met for a moment and the ring on her finger flashed. Crying out in pain, Rose grabbed her hand and nearly fell to the ground. She was caught by Richard grabbing her arm and dragging her closer to him.   
  
Everyone in the crowd jumped to their feet with Benton, Lethbridge-Stewart and Mickey all reaching for their firearms beneath their jackets. Before anyone could do anything a strong wind ripped through the hall, pushing the Doctor back.   
  
“Alert!” K-9 cried out in warning. “Alert! Danger!”  
  
“Rose!” the Doctor shouted, fighting against the wall of wind that was pushing him back. “Get away from him!”  
  
Groaning, Rose tried to pull away from Richard, everything was fuzzy and the pain in her head was unbearable. The edges of her vision were darkening, but she caught sight of a dark figure appearing behind them. Turning her head, Rose gasped as the shadows came together to form a tall hooded figure with no face.  
  
“Trickster!” Rose groaned, falling to her knees as the pain became too great.   
  
In front of her, Richard chuckled and when she looked up at him his eyes turned silver. “I’m actually glad you came Doctor,” the Silver Lord announced, his voice carrying over the wind. “It will make this so much more interesting.”  
  
“Trickster! Silver Lord, let her go!” The Doctor shouted, trying to move forward against the wind pushing everyone away from the altar.  
  
Richard tightened his grip on Rose’s arm, ignoring her cry of pain as she clutched at her head. Looking to the Doctor he laughed as the wind roared around them. “Too late Time Lord!”  
  
“Too late,” the Trickster repeated with a laugh before a flash of light blinded everyone and everything went silent.


	61. Wedding of Rose Tyler: Alone

Time and the Trickster

By Lumendea

Chapter Sixty-One: Wedding of Rose Tyler: Alone

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

 

………………………

 

Rose woke up slowly with a heavy head and sore knees. Taking a deep breath, Rose became aware that she was lying on her front on the floor. Her fingers brushed the soft carpet gently as she shifted slightly before they touched the fabric of her bouquet. Everything was fuzzy and her eyelids were too heavy to open. Voices echoed in her mind. There was someone, a man, shouting at the Trickster and the Silver Lord to let her go. It had been her friend the Doctor, her protector, but there had been something about him….

 

A whimper escaped Rose and she closed her eyes, curling into a fetal position as her head began to pound. Something was wrong; something was wrong drummed in her head. Flickers of images and words flittered across her mind, coming and vanishing like they were seeping through cracks. She could see those brown eyes of the Doctor wide with worry for her as he shouted at the Trickster as he appeared beside her. Steel blue eyes flashed through her mind followed by the gentle green ones of another Doctor. Her best friend, someone she cared about even more than Sharon and Shareen, but that didn’t seem quite right either. Another jolt of pain and moisture escaped her tightly closed eyes.

 

There was a warm voice talking to her, someone holding her hand and passionate kisses. She was laughing and teasing. It must have been Richard, but there was something wrong with that. There was another idea trying to push its way forward. Her mouth opened in a silent scream as the pain nearly caused her to black out as memories of Richard crumbled and like a supernova, memories of the Doctor took their place. The pressure in her head eased, but the ache lingered.

 

Her eyes snapped open and she pulled herself up quickly as her thoughts finally clicked into place. Looking around, Rose found herself in front of the altar, but she was completely alone. All the chairs were empty and everything was silent and still. She climbed to her feet slowly and gripped the side of the altar to haul herself up. Gritting her teeth, Rose did her best to ignore the weakness in her legs and the pain in her head. The shine of her ring caught her eyes and with a burst of adrenaline and anger, Rose pulled the ring off and tossed it across the room. The pressure in her head eased slightly and Rose breathed in deeply in gratitude.

 

“Oh, Sweetheart, don’t be like that,” Richard drawled to her right.

 

Turning quickly, Rose nearly tripped on her dress but glared at Richard. He was calmly leaning against the main doorframe with an amused smirk on his face. A sharp pain in her head made Rose tense, but she contained the flinch.

 

“What did you do to me?” Rose demanded.  Richard pushed off the doorframe and slipped his hands into the pockets of his tuxedo as he lazily moved towards her. His eyes changed to silver and Rose sucked in a breath. “You’re the Silver Lord,” she muttered before moving her arm to summon her sword. Nothing happened and Rose glanced down only to see the white skin of her bare wrist. Dropping her arm casually, she tried to act as calm as she could manage. “What did you do to me?” she asked again.

 

“At Sarah Jane’s wedding, I entered her mind and put… let’s call it a backdoor in it. You and the Doctor haven’t moved into a telepathic relationship so I just put markers in place for myself and planted a tiny little seed. Just a hint of a suggestion that could grow over the next few months and lessen your ability to fight me when the time came for me to put my plan into action.”

 

The Silver Lord paused and rested a hand on one of the chairs at the other end of the aisle. “And when I captured you in New Mexico, I was simply gathering the information needed to make sure that I could play the proper boyfriend.”

 

“Why this?” Rose demanded gesturing around. “Why not just kill me!?”

 

“The Guardians could bring you back,” the Silver Lord answered with a casual shrug. “I needed a way to remove you from the equation. When you married me with the Trickster binding your agreement… well, you’d be stuck with ‘honor, love and obey’ and I’d keep you from ever travelling with the Doctor. The Guardians’ plans would be gone and I’d be left with a very creative revenge.”

 

“But I wouldn’t really be agreeing,” Rose argued, her stomach turning painfully at the thought that she’d been completely prepared to marry this… thing only minutes ago.

 

“That was why I needed to get things started a year ago. Contrary to popular belief, you can’t make a person do anything they really don’t want to. The subconscious fights back, but with enough time you can tweak things just enough to make it work.”

 

The Silver Lord walked over to where Rose had thrown the ring and picked it up. He studied it with a small smile and tossed it up in the air, catching it on its way back down. “The ring was the Trickster’s idea,” the Silver Lord admitted. “A bit of a push on the false memories and emotional programming I’d already put into you. To help keep your subconscious from rejecting those memories.”

 

“The migraines,” Rose growled, narrowing her eyes on the Silver Lord.

 

“Your subconscious kicking and screaming against the restraints put on it.” The Silver Lord agreed calmly. “Specialized mind control can be very powerful. You can personalise everything as it were.” The Silver Lord shook his head and grumbled, “After the Doctor freed you in New Mexico, he reinforced your mental defences just enough to give you a chance to fight back.”

 

Rose paused, wondering when he’d done that, but remembered the way the Eleventh Doctor had kept touching her face and head. Deciding not to let the Silver Lord see her confusion, Rose smirked. “Well I’m free,” Rose insisted, raising her chin definitely. “Your plan has failed.”

 

“Plan A has,” the Silver Lord acknowledged with a nod. “But come on sweetie, where is everyone? Where are your friends, the companions, your precious Doctor?” The Silver Lord sighed and shook his head at her. “Did you really think that there wouldn’t be a Plan B?”

 

With widening eyes, Rose glanced around the room and strained her ears for any noise of people moving or talking. The Silver Lord remained still and silent, seeming to enjoy the growing look of worry and fear on her face. Quickly, Rose schooled her features into the most neutral expression she could manage and turned her eyes back to the Silver Lord, feeling foolish for taking them off of him.

 

“What have you done?” she demanded, unable to mask her anger.

 

“Why don’t I let you see if you can’t figure that out,” the Silver Lord suggested with a widening smirk that stretched the features of Richard’s face horribly.

 

“Did I ever meet Richard Becket?” Rose asked quickly, taking a step forward. She suddenly had a strong urge to drag the Silver Lord and hold him in place until she got an answer. “Is he gone because you wanted to get to me?”

 

“What makes you so sure he’s gone?” the Silver Lord asked, tilting his head.

 

Swallowing, Rose raised her chin, “The man in New Mexico died the next day. He was brain-dead.”

 

“Humans are very fragile,” the Silver agreed darkly. “They can literally be suppressed to death, but it doesn’t mean that they ‘leave’ before that death.” He tapped his head and laughed. “Maybe Richard Becket is locked up here, dying and screaming.”

 

Rose tensed up as her stomach turned violently and the urge to scream and lash out rose through her chest. Clenching her hands tightly, Rose fought to contain the urge and watched as the Silver Lord laughed at her expression. He puckered his lips and kissed the air toward Rose before his form shimmered and vanished from view. Rose was frozen for an uncomfortable moment, her heart racing as she struggled with the conflicting horror, guilt and anger that threatened to overwhelm her senses completely. Closing her eyes, Rose sucked in a painful deep breath and urged herself to calm down before she dared reopen her eyes.

 

………………….

 

Shouting Rose’s name, Ace tried to stand up from her seat, but the wind or whatever it was kept her firmly in place. It felt like a great weight was being pressed against her, making it hard to breathe and impossible to move. The Trickster reached for her friend and in a flash of light they were gone. Behind her, she heard the Doctor shout something as the others all began screaming and talking. The room rumbled as the weight against her chest eased and she looked over at Jo with wide eyes.

 

“Hold on!” the Doctor shouted behind them.

 

Another flash of light blinded Ace, she slammed her eyes closed and started to bring her hand over her eyes. Everything went dark and she fell into darkness as her senses suddenly closed off.

 

…………………..

 

Rose stepped into the dressing room, trying to focus on her plan to change rather than let herself think about how quiet everything was. The last time she’d been alone like this had been when aliens had emptied Earth years ago, leaving just her and alien prince Gavin in London. As she moved behind the screen it was difficult not to think that the Silver Lord might be watching her along with the Trickster, but Rose couldn’t think straight in the wedding dress. She wanted it off and it was all she could do to not simply rip it apart. Only the realisation that she’d probably end up tangled up in long strips of uneven fabric and zippers kept Rose from fulfilling that small fantasy. Instead she quickly, but properly removed the dress and opened up her suitcase. Tossing aside most of the clothing, Rose tugged out a comfortable pair of jeans, socks and a simple t-shirt. With a small grateful sigh, Rose changed into the clothes and pulled on her boots. Unsure of what to do with her hair at the moment, Rose settled for putting a hair tie around her wrist before rubbing the bare skin.

 

Her eyes moved to the bracelet sitting on the dressing room table and Rose swallowed thickly. She remembered when she’d first received the sword and been deemed worthy of becoming a Star Knight. According to the White Guardian, the swords could only be wielded by people with certain brain chemistry and personality qualities. Fear welled up inside of her, had she ceased to be worthy, had the stuff that the Silver Lord put in her brain changed her too much? With a slightly shaking hand, Rose reached out for the bracelet and brushed it with her fingers. Unlike earlier when it had been icy to her touch it felt warm and sense of relief rushed through Rose. A sharp jolt rushed up her arm, sending tingles through her chest.

 

The bracelet began to glow and pulse, Rose quickly put the golden cuff bracelet on her wrist. Smiling, she admired the soft swirl designs in the metal as a high pitch whine began to echo through the room. A steady hum was filling her head with a soft almost musical rhythm. Holding out her arm, Rose exhaled as the metal flowed over her wrist, tickling her. In a second there was a long golden curved blade clutched in her hand.

 

“At least there’s some good news,” Rose sighed in relief. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror, noting that her eyeliner and lipstick had smudged at some point giving her a fierce look. Smiling wickedly, Rose bared her teeth and turned back to the door. “Here comes the Bad Wolf,” Rose growled.

 

……………………

 

Ace groaned slightly as she shifted uncomfortably, only to realise with a start that she was collapsed over a chair. Her eyes snapped open and she sat up, jarring her shoulder with the fast movement. Glancing around, Ace saw the altar and for a moment was very confused.

 

“Rose,” she heard Jo’s voice gasp. Looking down, she saw the older woman, collapsed on the floor by their chairs and trying to stand up. Ace jumped up and reached down to the help the older woman. “What happened?” Jo asked as Ace took her hand. “Where is Rose?”

 

Ace looked towards the front again and confirmed that Rose was missing, along with the groom and the Trickster. Her shoulder sagged and she bit her lip. “I’m not sure,” Ace admitted before looking around the room.

 

“Brigadier,” a voice called further back in the room. “Come on, wake up.”

 

There was a groan and Ace turned to see people slowly climbing out of their chairs and off the floor. The Doctor was leaning over General Lethbridge-Stewart who groaned again and opened his eyes.

 

“Doctor?” Lethbridge-Stewart asked.

 

“That’s me,” the Doctor answered with a small smile. “Nice of you to join us.”

 

“Why must you keep getting younger,” the general grumbled as he sat up slowly, aided by Benton who was also climbing to his feet.

 

Everyone was standing up and Ace took in the crowd with a quick glance. Roughly half the guests were missing, including Jackie, Rita-Anne and Mickey along with Sharon and Shareen, with those remaining being those who had travelled with the Doctor. Leaning back, she looked over at Sarah Jane Smith who was climbing over chairs to reach her son Luke who was climbing off the ground.

 

“Who are you!?” Clyde demanded, looking at the Doctor as he climbed to his feet.

 

“I’m the Doctor,” he answered, jumping to his feet and moving towards the boy. “You’d be Clyde,” the Doctor’s eyes moved to Rani and he smiled. “And this is Rani. This is earlier in my timeline from when you both saw me last so mind what you say.” The Doctor told them quickly before he darted up to the altar and knelt down, inspecting the ground.

 

“Doctor!” Ace called as she stumbled out of the rows. “What is going on? Where are the other guests!? Where are Sharon and Shareen?!”

 

K-9 rolled towards the Doctor from the side of the room, navigating around the others who were gathering in the aisle and watching the Doctor. “Master,” K-9 called, “Query: where is Mistress Rose?”

 

“Well…” the Doctor ran a hand through his messy brown hair. “That’s a bit complicated…”

 

“Oh my god!” Victoria shouted from the window, stumbling back from it. “There’s nothing outside!”

 

“What do you mean nothing outside?” Ian asked, rushing forward and catching the woman around her shoulder. He looked out the window, only to gasp, “Oh no?” Looking over his shoulder, he glared at the Doctor. “Where are we?!”

 

“What do you mean?” Tegan demanded as she stalked forward to the other window and looked outside. A small gasp escaped her and she pulled back the white curtain so the others could see.

 

Beyond the window was nothing, only a vast expanse of white that seemed to go on forever. The car park was gone, the trees outside were gone. There was nothing.


	62. Wedding of Rose Tyler: One Second

Time and the Trickster

By Lumendea

Chapter Sixty-Two: Wedding of Rose Tyler: One Second

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

 

…………………………..

 

Everyone turned as one to the Doctor, which made him blink uncomfortably. Normally he had no problem with being the centre of attention; Rose had even remarked that he enjoyed it on several occasions, well his older Rose, not the current one.  General Lethbridge-Stewart stepped forward first.

 

“Doctor-” he started and the floodgates opened.

 

Tegan came up on his right with Jo Jones and Sarah Jane right behind her while Mel and Victoria rushed his left and the Jacksons and Chesterton’s came up behind him. Everyone started talking and demanding answers all at once in a horrible rush of mixed words that made it impossible to understand anyone. In one smooth move, the Doctor pulled a football rattled out of his coat and waved it around, the noise it created made everyone fall silent and stare at him.

 

“There's been a dimensional shift,” the Doctor explained nodded towards the windows, standing up on his toes just enough to see out into the white expanse around the General. “Time's moved on but us, and this entire building, we've been left behind.

 

“Master,” K-9 called as he rolled forward, manoeuvring smoothly to the Doctor’s feet.

 

“K-9,” the Doctor greeted cheerfully, reaching down and patting the dog’s head. “Did you miss me, boy?”

 

“Whereabouts of Mistress Rose?” K-9 inquired.

 

“She was caught by the Trickster and Silver Lord in a different dimension shift,” the Doctor sighed loudly. He shook his head and grinned widely at the assembled crowd who promptly tried to ask questions again. Pulling out the football rattle, the Doctor gave it another firm shake to silence them once again. “To answer your questions: yes that was the Trickster, yes that was the Silver Lord, yes they are working together, yes we’re trapped, yes I’m the only one who can get us out of the trap, yes I can get Rose back and yes the others are all safe.”

 

Turning around, the Doctor gently moved Polly Jackson to the side, giving her a warm smile so that he could move past her. Ian fixed him with a calculating look but stepped aside to allow the Doctor to leave the swarm of his former companions and friends.

 

“Come on, we can use the TARDIS,” the Doctor announced, gesturing for the others to follow him. “Allons-y.”

 

“And now he’s speaking French,” Mel whispered loudly to Victoria. “That’s a bit new.”

 

The companions rushed after the Doctor as he quickly darted out of the room and back into the main reception hall, grabbing the bannister of the stair to turn sharply. Then he came to a sharp stop with wide eyes. Ace nearly ran into him, grabbing at the staircase as she nearly slipped on the floor.

 

“Oh, no, no, no, no!” the Doctor shouted, gesturing towards an empty space in front of them. “It was there. It was right there.”

 

“The TARDIS?” Jo asked from behind them. “Are you sure?”

 

A strange shuttering wheezing sound suddenly began and the Doctor jumped back, holding out his arms to push them all back. “Wait, wait, wait.”

 

“I’ve heard that noise before,” Ace commented with a frown. “At the airport.”

 

“That was me, trying to break through the temporal schism that has been set up around Earth.” The Doctor explained as he kept looking at the space where the TARDIS kept appearing in small flashes of blue. “Got knocked back by the Trickster, that’s why Jack had to bring you the temporal stabiliser to let me through. He had to come to Earth months ago to ensure delivery.”

 

“Master, TARDIS will not be able to materialise due to temporal schism,” K-9 insisted from the back.

 

“Come on, you can do it,” the Doctor coaxed ignoring K-9’s statement. “More power. Come on!” The TARDIS faded away and the stuttering sound of its materialisation was suddenly gone. Sighing, the Doctor’s shoulder sagged slightly and he shook his head. “Okay, got no TARDIS. It can't materialise here until time moves forward.” Putting his hands in his pockets, the Doctor turned back to the others, shaking his head.

 

“So we’re trapped here, wherever here is?” General Lethbridge-Stewart inquired with a darkening expression.

 

“Only temporarily,” the Doctor assured him quickly. “After all, I’ve got K-9.”

 

“Affirmative,” the robot dog responded with a slight tail wag.

 

“And I’ve got all of you,” the Doctor added with a smile. “Bit more crowded than old times, but we’ll make it work.”

 

“Doctor?” Benton called, moving forward in the crowd to talk over Sarah Jane’s head. “What has happened to us? Where are the others? Where are we?”

 

K-9’s ear moved and his sensors beeped. “Our present location nowhere, nowhen.”

 

“No when?” Benton repeated with a hint of alarm.

 

The Doctor calmly lifted his chin and turned his eyes towards the wall of the hall. “Look at the clocks,” he told them.

 

Everyone turned and looked at the large round clock hanging on the wall. It took them a moment, but they could hear the click of the second hand. However, each time it moved, it jumped back to where it had started only to click again. Sarah Jane gasped and looked at the Doctor in alarm.

 

“Time’s stopped?” she asked with a hint of horror.

 

“That can’t be,” Victoria whispered with wide eyes, looking at the Doctor. “Could it?”

 

“Time hasn’t stopped,” the Doctor informed them. “We are caught in a time loop, caught in one second. Caught in twelve minutes and sixteen seconds past ten o’clock.”

 

“But where is Rose?” Ace questioned, looking back at the Doctor. “Where did he take her?”

 

“Nowhere,” the Doctor answered, looking up in thought. “She’s right here.”

 

……………………………..

 

Rose took slow steps forward, enjoying the feel of her Star Knight sword in her hand and the soft thud of her boots on the thick carpeting. Kicking her discarded heels out of the way, Rose stepped out into the hallway and listened for any sounds of other people. There was a creepy silence hanging over the entire building and Rose had to pause and steel herself against it. She tried to imagine the Doctor’s face in her mind’s eye and recalled the first time she’d kissed his Tenth form with the wild brown hair that she loved to run her fingers through and the deep brown eyes. She’d been eighteen years old and had given him a letter with the words Bad Wolf on it, a message from his future incarnation. The Eleventh Doctor with his bright green eyes, flyaway hair and bow tie who’d used the TARDIS to teach her when she was a kid and then stolen her first kiss.

 

The tension in Rose’s back and shoulders eased slightly, but a sense of guilt lingered. How could she have forgotten her feelings for the Doctor? How could the Silver Lord have transferred her feelings from the Doctor to himself and made her believe the Doctor was only a friend? Even her more platonic relationship with his Ninth form had an undercurrent of attraction, it was why he avoided her so much. Pushing the thoughts and worries aside, Rose took a few cautious steps forward and glanced around for any sign of the others or the Silver Lord.

 

Everything was still and quiet, a sense of déjà vu ran through Rose and for a brief moment, she wondered how Gavin was doing as king of his planet. She moved slowly, her careful footfalls still seeming loud in the building. As she approached the main hall, Rose could hear a few soft simple sounds. There was the thrum of the boiler below her feet and if she listened carefully she could hear the sound of the plumbing in the loo just to her right.

 

“Everything is still working at least,” Rose muttered softly, nearly jumping at the sound of her own voice.

 

Entering the main hall, Rose glanced around for any sign of the wedding guests. A large table on the other side of the hall that led towards the reception room was piled up with wrapped gifts. Rose fought down a sharp desire to take her frustration out on the gifts, but settled for huffing and walking past them into the reception room. Round tables were placed all around the room with the head table on the far side. Name cards were propped up, she remembered trying to spread out Ace, Tegan, Jo and the Chesterton’s just so the alien conversations didn’t get too loud. Walking forward, Rose checked for any sign of anything strange but sighed when her search found nothing.

 

“Stop stalling,” she scolded herself before turning and walking back to the main hall.

 

The clock on the wall clicked as she stepped out, the sound resonating the wood panelled room. She’d ignored it before, but no Rose glanced up at it only to freeze in place as she watched the small second hand move forward only to jump back to the previous position. Breath catching in her throat, Rose lunged forward and moved around the reception counter to the phone. She raised the handset to her ear and listened, but the tone wasn’t right. Instead of the smooth drone, it was static, like the sound was muffled. Experimenting, Rose dialled her mobile number, but nothing changed. She set the handset back in place and looked at the small clock on the desk, but it showed only the hour and minute. Rose stared at it, waiting for the minute to change, but nothing happened.

 

“What has he done?” Rose asked softly, her voice echoing in the large room.

 

…………………………

 

“So we’ve been trapped in this second,” Sarah Jane said slowly as she paced near one of the large windows. Nearby the Doctor was kneeling on the ground with his glasses on, looking over the floor for anything unusual.

 

“Affirmative Mistress,” K-9 answered from her feet.

 

“But the rest of the world, Johnny and Luke and the others, they've moved on from here, forwards in time.”

 

“Correct Mistress,” K-9 replied, moving his robot ears for a moment.

 

“But why?” Polly demanded from her seat by the main door as Ben put a calming hand on her shoulder. “Why have the Trickster and Silver Lord trapped us here?”

 

“Oh come on,” the Doctor chided as he jumped to his feet. “You’re some of the people that Rose cares about most in the world.”

 

“Hostages you mean,” Brigadier Benton said from his place near the stairs as he shared a glance with General Lethbridge-Stewart.

 

“Then why not grab her mother?” Jo asked, shaking her head. “Or Sharon and Shareen? They are her closest friends.”

 

“But all of you have travelled in the TARDIS, on at least one occasion,” the Doctor reminded Jo patiently as he climbed the staircase and looked around. “You all carry Artron energy which the Trickster has a weakness to so removing you makes this whole thing a little safer for him. Plus it makes it easier to grab you since a temporal schism latches on to beings or objects carrying excess Artron energy.”

 

“Artron energy?” Victoria repeated nervously, looking around at the others. “What does that do?”

 

The Doctor moved over to her quickly, gripping her upper arms gently. “Nothing back Victoria I promise,” he assured her. “Artron energy is just background radiation, harmless radiation that is present in the space-time vortex. It is part of time travel. A necessary part.” He smiled at her. “You don’t get sick much do you. In fact, I’ll be that none of you have had so much as a cold since you travelled with me.” The companions all shared quick looks and several of them nodded. “That’s the Artron energy,” the Doctor told them. “Harmless, but distinct. It keeps time travels from spreading diseases.”

 

“You really need a manual for those who travel in the TARDIS,” Ian muttered only to get a look from the Doctor.

 

“Most of you wandered in on your own I’ll remind you,” the Doctor retorted with a huff.

 

“It was in a junkyard,” Ian protested while Barbara chuckled softly.

 

“And it looks like a police box,” Tegan added before stepping closer and looking at Ace. “But what was this about a device? And who is Jack?”

 

“Jack is a friend of mine,” the Doctor answered as he pulled out the sonic screwdriver and held it up, adjusting a few settings. “He travels with me sometimes but is a former Time Agent so he has a device that will let him travel in time. I send him places that I can’t go when the need arises.”

 

“He said that he watches over Rose,” Ace added, watching the Doctor’s reaction.

 

“Well she does have a talent for finding trouble,” the Doctor replied, causing chuckles around the room. “As for the device, he delivered a time stabiliser to Ace so she could charge it up with Artron energy. I was hoping that the effect would last longer than this, but at least I was able to get here.”

 

The Doctor jumped up onto the long wooden counter of the reception room and held up the sonic screwdriver.

 

“What are you doing?” Lethbridge-Stewart asked with an amused expression.

 

“Looking for a temporal trace of Rose,” the Doctor answered as he walked down the counter away from the waiting companions. “There’s a chance I could establish contact with her.”

 

Glancing over her shoulder, Ace watched the others split into small groups and talk quietly. Jo and Victoria sat down with the Jacksons while Sarah Jane and the Chesterton’s started talking with Lethbridge-Stewart and Benton. Mel and Tegan were talking in louder voices and debating what would happen if they opened the doors, only to have the Doctor call over that it was perfectly safe, but cautioned them not to leave the building.

 

“If you are outside and another dimensional shift occurs, you could be left behind,” he warned them without looking at them.

 

Mel beamed and strode over the main doors, pulling them both open at once and looking outside into the vast white mists beyond. The others moved over to peer around her.

 

Taking advantage of their distraction, Ace stepped closer to the Doctor, studying his face for a moment before she added in a low voice. “Don’t think that this means we won’t be having a long talk about your relationship with Rose.”

 

“I don’t judge your relationships,” the Doctor replied lowly before receiving a raised eyebrow from Ace. “Well… I haven’t meddled in your relationships in years….”

 

“Still she’s only a kid,” Ace protested softly as the Doctor turned his eyes back to the sonic screwdriver.

 

“Not in my timeline,” the Doctor muttered, making Ace frown.

 

She looked at him, his age was always impossible to determine. He was regenerating so damn young now. As he moved the sonic screwdriver around, there was a glint of light off of metal on his left hand. Ace’s eyes flew to it instantly and widened. On his ring finger was a simple golden band.

 

“You’re married to her now,” Ace breathed, unsure if she should cheer or faint, settling on stunned silence.

 

“Just married in fact,” the Doctor answered with a small happy smile. “She only mentioned almost getting married once and would never tell me the whole story. Once I married her, she informed me that I had now go and crash her first wedding if I wanted to stay married.”

 

“Well then….” Ace laughed softly. “You’d better get on with it.”


	63. Wedding of Rose Tyler: Materialisation

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Sixty-Three: Wedding of Rose Tyler: Materialisation   
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
……………..  
  
“What has he done?” Rose asked softly, her voice echoing in the large room.  
  
There was a moment of panic that threatened to overtake her, but Rose stamped it down viciously as she internally shouted that she didn’t panic. She was very worried and even more than a little scared, but Rose Tyler did not panic. Taking a deep breath, Rose stepped away from the reception desk and looked around the room again, putting her hands on her hips. Her eyes landed on the windows and she tensed up upon seeing the vast whiteness outside of them. Biting her lip in consideration, Rose glanced around for any sign of the Trickster or Silver Lord before moving to the main wooden double door.  
  
The right-hand side opened with relative ease, exposing the swirling white mist beyond. Shifting her foot forward, Rose tapped at the stone stairs that were still attached to the front of the building beyond the threshold. The stairs were still solid and Rose stepped further outside and inhaled. She was breathing without a problem, but the air was stale like a building that had been sealed up for too long during the winter. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, Rose repeated a careful poke with her foot only to discover that the heavy mist floating around the base of the building was solid enough to touch. Putting weight on one foot, Rose felt the ground give a little, but it held her weight. She turned slightly to look back at the building. Everything seemed in place, the building was just floated in the middle of nowhere and apparently one second.   
  
“You won’t find an answer out there,” the smooth eerie voice of the Trickster called from the reception room. A dark laugh echoed outside and Rose launched herself forward to rush back into the reception hall.  
  
“Trickster!” Rose shouted, her voice echoing through the building. “Trickster! Show yourself!”  
  
Mist swirled together in front of Rose, darkening into a tall hooded figure in black. Rose resisted the urge to shudder as the empty sockets with skin stretched over them gazed at her and the Trickster smiled, revealing his long sharp teeth.  
  
“Rose Tyler,” he greeted in an oily voice.  
  
“Why have you done this?” Rose demanded, glancing towards the Silver Lord who was still leaning against the wall and watching with a smile. “What do the two of you want?”  
  
“I want you to be happy,” the Trickster replied calmly, reaching towards Rose only to have her sharply step back with a look of distrust and barely contained anger on her face.  
  
“No you don’t,” Rose insisted as she shook her head and glared at the Trickster. “You sow chaos in the universe, even the Black Guardian distrusts you and he rules over chaos.” Her brown eyes went back to the Silver Lord and her frown deepened. “If I marry you, then what happens?”  
  
“Your life is tied to your vows,” the Silver Lord answered from the side of the room. “You stay on Earth with me.”  
  
“Your agreement will bind you to the vows of honour and obedience,” the Trickster added.   
  
“I’d have to obey you,” Rose confirmed, looking over at the Silver Lord with a furious expression. “Why bother? You don’t like Earth, you don’t want to stay here and you don’t want me.”  
  
“No,” the Silver Lord agreed with a nod. “To be honest I don’t really care if you live or die, but the Guardians do. You marry me and I can remove you from the chessboard. I take away an important part of their plan.”   
  
“But he will also be bound to the promise he made,” the Trickster added in a gentler voice, attempting to be soothing.   
  
“Promise?” Rose repeated with uncertain eyes that darted between the two beings. She had to fight off the urge to run, every instinct in her shouting that she was badly outmatched but kept her feet firm.  
  
“I promised to make you happy remember,” the Silver Lord reminded her as he pushed off the wall and headed for Rose. He stopped shortly in front of her and offering her a small smile that didn’t reach his silver glinting eyes. “I can make you forget again and if you agree then the process won’t hurt you anymore. You could truly believe that we love each other and have a happy life for as long as you live. I wouldn’t stop you from defending the Earth or seeing your friends.”  
  
“But I could never leave and never disobey,” Rose countered. “And what would the consequence of trying? More migraines, more blackouts? My death?”  
  
The Trickster made a small noise that drew Rose’s attention back to him. “If you do not then you will remain here forever,” he informed her, gesturing out at the expanse of white through the open doorway.   
  
Glaring at the Trickster, Rose took a few steps away from them both and glared at the Silver Lord. “Then so be it,” she growled.  
  
“So will your friends,” the Trickster added, gesturing once again to make the doors slam shut. “You'll condemn them to remain here. This place is nowhere. And it's forever.”  
  
As the Trickster vanished, Rose fought the chill creeping up her spine. Smiling, the Silver Lord held up the ring she had discarded and said, “Two little words Rose, that’s all it takes.”  
  
“Never,” Rose snapped, turning on her heel and rushing back up the stairs.  
  
“Rose!” The Silver Lord called after her. “Remember that your precious Doctor is trapped as well. Imagine what will happen to the universe if the Doctor simply vanishes. What chaos there will be!”  
  
Rushing into the dressing room, Rose did her best to ignore the Silver Lord’s echoing laughter. Grabbing at her suitcase, Rose tore it open and searched for anything that might be useful. She could barely remember packing the thing, having been in such a daze. Her fingers brushed against the smooth fabric of a folding jewellery case and she opened the snaps with bated breath.   
  
……………………………..  
  
The Doctor adjusted the sonic screwdriver with a look of frustration and concentration. He was standing on an old round wooden table near the right side of the reception hall, still waving the sonic screwdriver around. “She's here,” he informed his friends who were gathering closer just before he shook the screwdriver. “If I can narrow the link ratio-”  
  
Mist swirled before Jo, causing Victoria to give a small cry of alarm. Ben grabbed Polly’s arm and pulled his wife away from the dark mass of clouds. Frowning, the Doctor jumped off the table and stepped forward, pausing to gently push Jo Jones behind him. He put his hands in his pockets and calmly watched the cloaked form of the Trickster appear. There was a small sense of triumph as none of his former companions made new sounds of alarm even though he was pretty sure that Alistair and Benton were both reaching for their guns.   
  
“Doctor,” the Trickster greeted smoothly, turning to face the Time Lord with a smile.   
  
“Trickster,” the Doctor answered back with a sharp nod and a neutral expression.  
  
“At last. Doctor. I could feel this moment reverberating back through the ages. The meeting of the Pantheon of Discord and the last of the Time Lords,” the Trickster proclaimed with a hint of excitement, but he didn’t move any closer to the Doctor.  
  
“I've known the legends of the Pantheon since I was a little boy. I've fought your shadows and your changelings,” the Doctor responded coolly. “I never thought we'd actually meet.”  
  
“And I know the legends of the Doctor. The man of ice and fire, who walked among gods, who once held the Key to Time in his hands,” the Trickster hissed, rubbing his hands together eagerly and leaning forward slightly. Then he opened his hands and gestured at the gathered humans. “Now surrounded by such lowly creatures.”  
  
There was a flash of anger in the Doctor’s eyes and he rocked slightly on the balls of his feet but answered. “They're my friends.” Relaxing his shoulders, the Doctor titled his head and remarked, “Which reminds me, you're looking a bit lonely for a Pantheon.”  
  
“I embody multitudes. And who are you, the man who has lost everybody, to talk to me of loneliness. You cannot even protect the one who means the most to you,” the Trickster accused with a shark-like smile. “Rose Tyler is my prize. Even you Doctor, are incapable of understanding how important she is.”  
  
The Doctor ignored the small sounds of curiosity and confusion from behind him, unwilling to take his eyes off the Trickster. No one was trying to ask questions right now, not even Polly or Tegan, the two who always insisted on knowing what was going on. He had no doubt that Sarah Jane was cataloguing everything said and would come to her own conclusions.  
  
“Oh I understand Trickster, far more than you ever well the importance of Rose Tyler,” the Doctor announced with more emotion than he meant to voice. “What do you want with her?” he asked in what he hoped was a calmer and merely curious voice.  
  
“What I always want from any of those I visit,” the Trickster answered with a thick laugh. “Her agreement. Goodbye, Doctor.” The Trickster vanished in a ripple of shadow before them, leaving the crowd feeling cold and even more concerned.  
  
“Her agreement,” the Doctor muttered before his friends could speak. “The power of words. She says I do, and it’s all over.”  
  
“All over Doctor?” Benton asked, stepping up beside him with his hand resting on his sidearm.  
  
Turning to Benton, the Doctor nodded tensely. “She promises to love, honour and obey her husband, the wedding ring goes on and then she's agreed to it. She's totally under the Trickster's power. Marital bliss, but she forgets all about this. Forgets anything that the Silver Lord and Trickster don’t want her to know, completely bound to an enemy of the universe.”  
  
“Forgetting about her old life protecting the Earth,” Polly added angrily, even as Ben placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.  
  
“Oh it’s more than just Earth Polly, Rose’s future, my past is important to keeping this universe going,” the Doctor informed them as he turned to face them all. “Without that, there’ll be chaos and destruction. Meat and drink to the Trickster.”  
  
“And this Silver Lord?” Alistair asked over the head of Tegan. “What does he get out of this deal? After all, by the sound of it, he’d have to stay on Earth with Rose.”  
  
The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck and fought to remain calm rather than shouting or rushing off to keep searching. “He’s an enemy of the Guardians of the Universe,” the Doctor informed them, grateful to see that most of them understood those words and were nodding. “He was banished from the universe a long long time ago, even to me, and now he’s back and wants revenge. He can’t kill Rose, he’s tried that, but imprisoning her in a way that leaves her unable to fight….”  
  
“She won’t say yes,” Sarah Jane insisted. “Rose knows what’s going on now.”  
  
“But we’re here,” the Doctor told her seriously. “Some of the people she cares about most all trapped as hostages.”  
  
Everyone exchanged looks, mixtures of worry and excitement. Their gazes moved to the Doctor who ran a hand through his hand in frustration. Then suddenly the wheezing sound of the TARDIS echoed through the hall. Jumping forward, the Doctor’s eyes moved to the corner of the room where the flickering image of the TARDIS appeared and began to solidify.  
  
“TARDIS!” He shouted with glee. “Yes! It's homing in on me. Emergency program, protecting the pilot. Of course. Partial materialisation.”   
  
As the TARDIS began to flicker back out, the Doctor grit his teeth. Jo stepped up next to him and asked, “What's happening?”  
  
“She can’t fully materialise,” the Doctor explained as the ship vanished and the wheezing echoed in the room. “Secondary function, the TARDIS is homing on the secondary pilot.”  
  
“Secondary pilot?” Polly called from the back of the crowd. “You mean Rose?”  
  
“Yes,” the Doctor replied just before his sonic screwdriver made a small noise. Pulling it back out the Doctor held it up. “She’s upstairs, come on!”  
  
………………………….  
  
Rose’s fingers brushed the small metal of her TARDIS key and she pulled out the long chain with a happy smile. Holding it in front of her face, Rose studied the items on the chain for a moment. She couldn’t remember taking off the chain before she left the house and was pretty certain that she hadn’t put it into the suitcase. Maybe Sharon or Shareen had done it as part of their efforts to keep them safe. She owed them for the terrible worry they must have been going through.  
  
As she slung the chain around her neck and felt the key, biodamper and crystal settle against her chest, Rose noticed the TARDIS key begin to glow and flash. Touching it, Rose gasped as heat rushed into her fingers and she jumped to her feet. Downstairs she suddenly heard the grinding of the TARDIS engines.  
  
Rushing from the room, Rose flew down the stairs in time to see eh TARDIS flickering into existence in the corner of the reception hall. It was already disappearing when Rose reached the TARDIS, but she rested her hand on the blue wood and pulled her key up. A sudden jolt made Rose jump and her key fell back against her chest as the lock and the TARDIS vanished. A tingling in her arm, made Rose look down at her hand only to find it glowing slightly with white-blue energy, crackling over her skin.


	64. Wedding of Rose Tyler: Artron Energy

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Sixty-Four: Wedding of Rose Tyler: Artron Energy  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
…………..  
  
The Doctor stepped into the dressing room first and chuckled as the room rippled in front of them. Behind him, his companions shivered as if feeling a sudden cold wind, but it didn’t affect him. Suddenly the suitcase that had been near the doorway was open on the floor and items were scattered about.  
  
“What was that?” Polly asked in an awed voice.  
  
“We must be trapped in the second after Rose,” the Doctor observed calmly, tilting his head slightly. “Her time is still ahead of us, that was time trying to adjust to the actions taking place in the previous second.”  
  
“So we can still affect the world around us,” Ben remarked thoughtfully. “Couldn’t she leave us a message?”  
  
“If she thought of it,” the Doctor answered with a shrug, his foot tapping at the suitcase. “She wouldn’t know that we’re in the second after her. And we couldn’t reply to her message. We’re a second in the future from Rose, can’t send anything back.”  
  
“Her wedding dress is back here,” Jo called from behind the changing screen before poking her head out. “She must have come upstairs to change.”  
  
“That’s a good sign isn’t it,” Victoria asked, looking at the Doctor.  
  
“Well it means she’s not planning on saying yes,” Mel injected with a large smile. “That seems like good news to me.”  
  
The Doctor nodded slightly, but the tension in his shoulders remained.  
  
“Can the TARDIS help her at all?” Ace asked as she knelt down, tidied up the suitcase and zipped it back up before placing it against the vanity once again. “Will it be able to materialise? Could she get inside?”  
  
“Maybe,” the Doctor replied, rubbing his cheek and chin thoughtfully. “Temporal distortions aren’t easy things for even a TARDIS to get through. The trick won’t be getting inside. If the TARDIS can get to Rose then just maybe she can stop the Trickster.”  
  
………………..  
  
Staring at her hand, Rose couldn’t help but admire the tiny arching bolts of energy that jumped between the fingers of her left hand. She turned her hand around and examined the sparking energy. It didn’t hurt at all, there was just a slight tingle, but it was almost pleasant. Her eyes went back to where the TARDIS had been trying to materialise and she frowned.  
  
When she’d first met the Trickster, the Doctor had told her that he came from outside the universe and manifested to cause chaos. At the time the Trickster and the Doctor had never met…. Something about Artron energy, the Trickster didn’t like it. Rose’s eyes dropped back to her hand and she lowered it carefully. Sliding her hand into her pocket, Rose smiled as the felt the tingling energy remain, now out of sight. She was having a moment of clarity, her shoulders relaxed slightly at the knowledge that she finally had a way out.  
  
Rose took a deep breath and strode back into the wedding hall. Her eyes moved over the empty chairs and she couldn’t help but wonder what, if anything, the others had seen. Was her mother one of those trapped, she hoped not for the Doctor’s sake. Reaching the altar, Rose took another breath and straightened her shoulders.  
  
“Trickster!” she shouted. “I need to speak with you. I’m ready!”  
  
It took a lot of determination on Rose’s part to stay still as the dark mist swirled her and threatened to choke her like smoke. The Trickster arrived much slower than he had before, Rose guessed to torment her and enjoy his victory. Exhaling slowly, Rose reigned in her temper and forced herself to stay calm. Her skin tingled as the Artron energy seemed to spike in the Trickster’s presence. She wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination, but the thought made her feel better as the Trickster took form in front of her. His mouth was twisted into a smile, exposing his long sharp teeth.  
  
“Rose Tyler,” the Trickster sighed, his voice echoing.  
  
“Are you ready to give your agreement?” The voice of the Silver Lord asked.  
  
Rose turned quickly to see the Silver Lord, still in his tux walking up the aisle. He glanced over her attire and shook his head. “Oh well,” he sighed dramatically. “I guess I’ll just have to tweak the memories of the audience while you get changed back for the photos.”  
  
The Trickster moved towards her, reaching for her and Rose decided it was now or never. Pulling her hand out, she lunged forward and grabbed the Trickster around the neck with her Artron energy soaked hand. There was a high pitched scream from the Trickster, a shout from the Silver Lord, but the roar in Rose’s ears kept her from making out anything. Her entire body was vibrating and tingling as the blue energy crackled and pulsed into the Trickster. The world felt like it was shaking and in the corner of her eyes, Rose could see everything flashing with pulses of white light. The Silver Lord was lunging towards her, his silver eyes sparking with fury.  
  
…………………………  
  
The Doctor grabbed the bannister of the upper stair overlook as everything began to shudder and flash with small bursts of white light. “Everyone hold on!” he shouted, grateful that all his former companions sprang into action grabbing the bannister and each other. Sarah Jane and Tegan were each using one arm to keep hold of K-9 whose ears were spinning.  
  
“Master!” K-9 called, “Temporal distortion failing.”  
  
“Doctor!?” Alistair started to ask from down the line of people.  
  
“Time is catching up!” the Doctor shouted as a roar began to fill the building as it shook. “Something has broken the Trickster’s power. Everyone just hold on!”  
  
There was one last blinding flash of light that forced even the Doctor to slam his eyes shut. Then everything was still once again, the shaking had stopped and the strange roar was gone.  
  
………………………  
  
The Trickster was suddenly gone from her grasp, a faint feeling of mist washing past her skin. Rose opened her eyes, not remembering even closing them as a sudden dim of shouting and voices reached her. A hand gripped her wrist tightly, almost painfully and Rose raised her head to meet the eyes of the Silver Lord.  
  
“Rose!” Shareen called from behind her, a careful note in her voice. “What just happened?”  
  
“What happened to your dress?” her mother’s voice demanded with a hint of alarm. “Rose?”  
  
“Where is that strange man?” Someone else asked.  
  
“Where are the other people?” Another voice called.  
  
Then there was a mess of voices and questions that Rose couldn’t make out and didn’t care to. Next to them still in front of the altar was a very confused and stumbling for words minister. “Miss Tyler, Mister Becket?” she started to ask.  
  
“The wedding is off,” Rose announced, not taking her eyes off the Silver Lord.  
  
“Yes!” Shareen cheered loudly from behind her.  
  
“This isn’t over,” the Silver Lord growled, tightening his grip on Rose.   
  
Fury and hatred marring the handsome features of his host. Rose briefly wondered if she had ever met the real Richard Becket or if he’d always been under the control of the Silver Lord. She doubted she would ever know for sure.  
  
“Yeah, it is,” Rose hissed in return, twisting her grip suddenly and bringing her other arm forward.   
  
The Silver Lord’s eyes widened before he was suddenly launched head first forward down the steps of the altar by a quick movement from Rose. He crashed forward and rolled down one of the stairs before catching himself. Rose heard her mother shout but spun towards the door at the far end of the aisle. Her eyes scanned the crowd quickly, noticing her mother and friends, but no Doctor or companions. Rushing forward, Rose dodged everyone who reached for her and ran into the reception room.  
  
“Doctor!” Rose shouted, looking around desperately and holding back panic. What if they hadn’t been-  
  
“Rose!” he called in return, along with a choir of other voices shouting her name.   
  
Looking towards the stairs, Rose grinned as she caught sight of the TARDIS and then the Doctor came rushing into view on the landing. He beamed at her in return and ran down the stairs, two at a time. Jumping forward, Rose hugged him and was swept up into his arms. She tightened her arms around him, barely able to breathe as relief and love crashed down on her.   
  
He suddenly back from her, reaching up to tilt her chin and captured her lips in a fierce kiss. His hand shifted to twine his fingers in her hair and his other hand came around to hold her tightly against him. Rose heard shouts nearby, but wrapped her arms around him, returning the kiss with as much emotion as she could muster. Her fingers tangled in his hair and Rose felt something in her mind begin to relax, something that had been bent into the wrong shape finally returning to its proper form. There was still a dull pain in her mind, but after months of horrible near agony Rose barely even noticed it.  
  
Unseen to them, every one of their friends was stopped on the staircase, watching with mixed reactions of shock, amusement and even a bit of irritation. Benton chuckled under his breath only to get a knowing look from Ian while Barbara crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow. Mel tilted her head with consideration at the scene before her and then started to giggle and shake her head. Ace looked on with a neutral expression for a moment before the corners of her lips began to curve up. Victoria blinked, looked at the kissing couple once more and then blinked again before turning to Polly and Ben with a shocked expression, only to find equally stunned expressions. Polly recovered first and took Ben’s hand, squeezing it fondly as a smile appeared on her face, somewhat matched by the embarrassed smile on her husband’s.  
  
Sarah Jane put a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing even as her eyes sparkled with curiosity. Tegan stared at the scene with a dropped jaw for a moment before crossing her arms and huffing. Lethbridge-Stewart shook his head and rolled his eyes upward with a sigh, pointedly ignoring a look from Benton.  
  
With a sense of peace and reassurance, but also a nagging feeling that there was still something to worry about, Rose pulled back from the kiss. Sucking in a quick breath, she met the Doctor’s warm brown eye and whispered, “I love you, I’m sorry.”  
  
“This wasn’t your fault,” the Doctor assured her gently even as anger and raw fury began to seep into his eyes.   
  
Rose knew it wouldn’t be long until the Oncoming Storm was fully on the scene. His hand on the back of her waist rubbed her skin gently in the gap between her shirt and jeans, pulling her even closer.  
  
“Doctor what-” Mel began to ask behind them on the stairs.  
  
The Silver Lord stormed out of the wedding hall, slamming the doors behind him and waving his hand. A silver barrier appeared over the doorway and Rose sucked in a fearful breath at the display. The Doctor turned slightly to face the Silver Lord, still keeping Rose against him. Under normal circumstances, she might have protested the damsel in distress position, but everything was still too raw.  
  
“This isn’t over,” the Silver Lord snapped, glaring at them both. “Let her go, Time Lord.”  
  
“That is never going to happen,” the Doctor answered before glancing around the room. “And I don’t think you should be worrying about us,” he added ominously.   
  
The Silver Lord paused and looked away from them, allowing Rose to do the same. The air in the reception hall was starting to smell funny, like after a thunderstorm. Then there was a flash of white and then a burst of black. Rose barely held back a gasp as the White and Black Guardians were suddenly standing between her and the Doctor and the Silver Lord.   
  
“The Guardians,” Tegan breathed from the stairs. “What are they doing here?”  
  
“White Guardian,” the Silver Lord greeted, swallowing thickly. “Black Guardian.”  
  
“Leave this place,” the Black Guardian ordered in a booming voice. “Rose Tyler is saved.”  
  
A strange expression crossed the Silver Lord’s face, a blend of anger, fear and resignation. He nodded and huffed, pulling the ring he’d given Rose out of his pocket and tossing it at the Doctor’s feet. His eyes flashed silver and his body began to glow. Richard Becket’s body shuddered and fell forward. The head snapped back as the strange electric violet colour that Rose had seen before swirled around him. There was a scream and a flash of light before the body fell forward with a thud and did not move.   
  
The two Guardians glanced at each other before the Black Guardian vanished in a flash of black energy. The White Guardian turned to face Rose and the Doctor, giving her a small smile and tipping his hat to her before he also vanished. In a quick movement, the Doctor scooped up the ring and shoved it into his pocket. The doors of the wedding hall burst open to reveal an angry Jackie whose eyes went wide when she almost fell over Becket’s body.  
  
“Ah, Alistair, Benton I trust you’ll handle this,” the Doctor nearly squeaked as he grabbed Rose’s hand. She saw a smile in the corner of her eye. “Run!”  
  
They lunged for the TARDIS, the Doctor unlocking the doors so quickly that Rose barely saw the movement. He shoved Rose inside, ignoring shouts from Jackie and the companions before darting in himself. The doors closed behind them and he rushed up to the controls. A happy laugh escaped Rose as the Doctor danced around the controls and the TARDIS began to wheeze as they dematerialized.  
  
Exhaling, Rose sank into the pilot’s seat and closed her eyes. The dull pain in her head was still present, but the relief that she felt was largely cancelling it out. She heard a thump as the Doctor tossed his coat over one of the rails and heard his footfalls as he came over to her. Warm fingers traced over the sides of her face.  
  
“I hate to say it, but this needs a proper mind healer,” the Doctor told her gently with a regretful expression. “I can do an alright job, but the Silver Lord puts barriers in place to keep anyone or anything else from meddling with your mind until his plan was complete. Best I could have done was boost your subconscious’ ability to fight back.” The Doctor brushed a finger over the side of her face by her ear and frowned. “In fact feels like I might have, when did I do that?”  
  
Rose blinked in surprise at the question and shrugged. “Maybe your next incarnation did it when he helped you get me away from the Silver Lord. I don’t remember you doing anything special, but you did touch my face.”  
  
Nodding slowly, the Doctor considered the idea and nodded. “Couldn’t change the time lines, but could at least help you resist, sounds about right.”  
  
“Yeah,” Rose leaned back in the jump seat as the Doctor adjusted the TARDIS controls. “Is that why Apep couldn’t affect me?” Rose asked, straightening up suddenly with a hint of alarm. “He was telepathic!”  
  
The Doctor blinked at the question and then making a slight pucker with his lips nodded in agreement. “Probably, not the Silver Lord’s intention to save you, but he needed to keep someone else from removing his programming.” Rose shivered at the word and the Doctor realising how the choice of words had affected her, gave Rose a small apologetic smile. “The good news is that the program ran its course,” the Doctor told her, almost skipping over to her. “That means a good mind healer can patch this up with no problem.”  
  
“And there is someone you trust to go into my mind,” Rose asked carefully, trying not to show how much the idea chilled her.  
  
The Doctor’s expression softened further and he touched her cheek gently. “I know you don’t want anyone else in there right now, love, but this has to be done. You can’t keep feeling pain every time you think of me and if we leave it in there the Silver Lord may try again. It took him three encounters to build the program up to the level he needed, but I promise she can fix this in one session.”  
  
“Okay,” Rose agreed slowly, trying to be brave. She was quiet as the Doctor took them out of the vortex and braced herself as the TARDIS shuddered with the landing. “Who are we seeing?” she finally asked.  
  
The Doctor beamed at her, returning to her side and kissed her forehead. “Another Guardian, the Blue Guardian of Equilibrium.”   
  
“Another Guardian,” Rose repeated, barely hiding her worry.  
  
“She’d never harm you,” the Doctor promised seriously before holding up his hand to show Rose the wedding ring. “Even attended our wedding,” he paused and shrugged. “Such as it was.”  
  
“Such as it was?” Rose repeated her eyes still locked on the ring. “What no big white wedding?”  
  
“No,” the Doctor admitted. “Jackie demanded a reception at least which is where you are right now, planning it after informing me that I could now go back and crash your first wedding.” Anger flashed over his face once more. “Of course you’d never told me the whole story before that.”  
  
“Noted,” Rose replied weakly. “And I’ve had enough of the whole white wedding thing.”  
  
Beaming at her remark, the Doctor held out his hand to her and tugged her off the pilot seat. “So after your appointment, where can I drop you off?”  
  
Rose stopped and grimaced, already imagining the confrontation and questions she have to face from her mother and the other companions.  
  
“Uh, how about China?” Rose suggested with a nervous smile.  
  
“China it is,” the Doctor replied with a grin.


	65. Wedding of Rose Tyler: Restoring Balance

Time and the Trickster  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Sixty-Five: Wedding of Rose Tyler: Restoring Balance  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.   
  
………………….  
  
Rose stepped outside the TARDIS slowly, but a soft gasp escaped her as she looked around. The TARDIS had landed on a massive platform suspended high in a massive tree. All around Rose branches turned upward and the blueish leaves created a wall to one side of her while another area was open. She could see out of the tree and over a sweeping view of blue treetops, violet sky and strange birds flying.   
  
“Wow,” Rose breathed as a smile spread over her face.   
  
She turned after taking in the view for a few minutes and then gasped again as she properly looked at the platform. Three hanging bridges, much sturdier looking than rope lead off from three of the platforms side. Where they came to trees, they either curved around branches, using them as supports or were fixed to the thick trunks of the tall trees. Rose could see small structures throughout the branches now that she was looking.   
  
Some were similar to what she was used to and could have passed for an earth tree house if not for the dark green bark of the trees and the blue of the leaves. Other structures were more like cocoons, tucked between branches while others were sphere made of sticks and leaves that hung from the largest branches. It might have looked like a random mix if not for the soft blue lights that made each structure shine softly and unified the picture.  
  
“Wow,” she sighed again making the Doctor chuckle behind her.   
  
He stepped up behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist, letting her lean back against him. “Welcome to Grasnor,” he told her, “Notable as the home of the Blue Guardian.”  
  
Rose nodded carefully, having almost forgotten why they were there. “Right,” she said, squeezed the Doctor’s hand. “The Blue Guardian.”  
  
The Doctor squeezed her hand in response and stepped back from her, pulling on Rose’s hand gently. She followed him across one of the bridges, surprised by how little give there was despite it looking like a weaving of vines. The Doctor wasn’t bothered by it at all and kept holding her hand as she followed him closely across. Rose could hear soft voices all around them as they passed by a cluster of the hanging sphere structures. In the soft bluish light, she could see the silhouettes of humanoids slightly smaller than herself.   
  
The Doctor brought her to one of the more treehouse-like structures with a bright blue door, almost TARDIS blue, and two large arched windows in the front. Squeezing her hand again, the Doctor used his free one to knock twice on the door. It opened a moment later and Rose found herself looking into large bright blue eyes that were filled with compassion and a hint of amusement.  
  
“Hello Rose Tyler,” the Blue Guardian greeted with a smile.  
  
Rose took the Blue Guardian quickly, not wanting to stare. She was roughly six inches shorter than herself with deep blue skin with small white dots running along the arches of her cheekbones, brow and jaw. Long dark blue hair that was much coarser than a normal humans was pulled back tightly in a bun, revealing more white dots along the hairline. Rose briefly wondered if they were cosmetic or natural. The Blue Guardian wore a long pale blue dress with a white sash around the waist. It was simple looking and when teamed with her barefoot, she looked very relaxed and informal, helping Rose relax slightly.  
  
“Come in,” the Blue Guardian told her, stepping back so Rose could duck through the door which was a little too short for her.  
  
Thankfully the inside of the building had a slightly higher roof which meant that Rose was fine, but the tips of the Doctor’s hair were touching the ceiling. Rose smiled slightly and silently hoped that he didn’t roll on his feet or jump around inside. It was a cosy building, only one room with a long, surprise blue curtain, separating the back half from view. Two tall backed chairs with cushions sat next to a table with a third chair tucked to the side.   
  
“Doctor,” the Blue Guardian said, turning to him. “It is not wise for you to remain.”  
  
Rose expected him to argue with the Blue Guardian, but he sighed softly and nodded his understanding. Stunned, Rose didn’t react when he leaned over and kissed her cheek gently. “I’ll be right outside,” he promised before vanishing out the door.  
  
“You don’t need to be so surprised,” the Blue Guardian chuckled. “The Doctor knows me well and knows that I would not harm you. Having a telepath too close… it is not wise when seeking to remove all outside influence from a mind.” The Blue Guardian sat down in one of the chairs and gestured for Rose to sit in the other. “I am the Blue Guardian, but my name is Ariana.”  
  
“You have a name?” Rose asked before she could think better of it, having known the other two guardians simply as the Black and White Guardians for years. “Uh sorry….”  
  
“Yes I do,” Ariana explained as she reached towards the table and lifted a domed cover off a tray to reveal a pretty pottery tea set. “It depends on the origin of the Guardian. The White and Black Guardian were creations to embody good and evil, order and chaos, but the rest of us emerged through various circumstances in the history of the universe.”   
  
The Blue Guardian poured a cup of tea, added something from one of the small bowls and handed it to Rose before pouring one for herself.  
  
“How many Guardians are there?” Rose heard herself ask, still looking down at the cup of tea with some concern. Briefly, she wondered just how many humanoid species drank something like tea or this was just for her benefit. “I’ve only met two.”  
  
“Then you’ve met a third of us,” Ariana informed her with a smile and a nod. “And I now make half. We are six in number: Gold, White, Black, Blue, Red and Violet.”  
  
“And you are the Guardian of Equilibrium?” Rose inquired, taking a tentative sip of the tea. It was sweet, but the warmth of it on her tongue was very soothing. She almost felt like curling up with the teacup to sleep. The notion sent a jolt of alarm through her.  
  
“The tea is to help lower the mental barriers,” Ariana assured Rose gently, picking up on her though telepathically or guessing, Rose wasn’t sure which. “It is necessary. I’m sorry I should have explained that better than I did. I forget the differences between…” Ariana stopped herself and shook her head quickly. “Yes, I am the Guardian of Equilibrium. My job is to keep or restore the balance between opposing forces.”  
  
“Opposing forces?” Rose repeated slowly, setting the teacup down. “What does that mean on the universe level?”  
  
“It means many things across the universe: light and dark; pain and pleasure or life and death. Sometimes I seek to balance major forces and sometimes it is small things on one planet. Equilibrium has no requirements for size or importance.”  
  
“Isn’t that a huge job?”   
  
“Occasionally,” Ariana answered with a chuckle. “But the Guardians are beyond the confines of time. We can be many places at once if we need to be.” She paused and laughed. “Besides the universe runs mostly on its own without too much trouble. The biggest problem is the occasional threats that your Doctor usually rushes to resolve.”  
  
Rose couldn’t stop the smile on her face this time, both at the description of the Doctor and the Guardian calling him hers.  
  
“So Black is Chaos and Darkness and White is Light and Order and you’re Equilibrium, who are the others?”  
  
“The leader of the Guardians, the Gold Guardian is Life and Possibility. She has the most power, but it her ability to use it is fairly limited by circumstances. Since she guards all life, she has to be careful about stepping on the self-determination of species, even those she doesn’t like.” Ariana leaned back in her seat slightly. “The Red Guardian is Justice and Morality which keeps him rather busy, but he seems to like it. He seeks to right wrongs and correct moral crimes. Help events unfold in the best way possible. The Violet Guardian is Dreams and Memory. Her domain is the most elusive of us all and she has a habit of expanding her power to all sorts of areas. I suppose she could be considered the Guardian of what makes an individual who they are.”   
  
Nodding, Rose turned the information over her mind and trying to imagine how the Black and White Guardians would interact with such a diverse group. She could see the White Guardian getting along with the Red Guardian, at least a little, but it was such a strange mixing of areas of power. Honestly, Rose was left with the impression that the other four probably got along just fine and ignored the White and Black Guardians as much as possible. She was so distracted by the thoughts that she nearly missed Ariana reaching for her face.  
  
“It is alright,” Ariana assured her kindly, pulling her hand back slightly. “This won’t hurt and won’t take long.”  
  
Rose allowed her to set her hand on her temple and tried to feel the sensation of her mind being entered into. But there was nothing, her skin felt a little cooler when Ariana was touching her and then suddenly the slight pain that she’d been carrying for months was gone. Her eyes widened as the Blue Guardian pulled her hand away and smiled at her shocked expression.  
  
“That’s it?” Rose demanded.  
  
“This was an easy fix,” Ariana replied gently, looking pleased with herself. “I am the Guardian of Equilibrium, I remove that which does not belong and restore balance. What the Silver Lord put in your head was very distinct and foreign to your mental landscape.” Ariana paused and tilted her head. “And you have not developed any mental defences just yet. Give that time. I’m certain when you’re ready that your Doctor will help you.”  
  
Still gaping at Ariana, Rose managed a small nod and set down the teacup. Ariana stood up and gently tugged Rose up by the arm. “Time to return you to your Doctor I think.”  
  
Then she was standing by the Doctor and he was grinning at her. The Doctor thanked Ariana and Rose finally managed to thank the woman, still hung up a bit on just how… easy it had been for her. Seeming to sense her discomfort, the Doctor took her hand and gently rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb before guiding her back across the bridges to the TARDIS.  
  
………………  
  
The TARDIS shook violently as she came to a halt, throwing the Doctor back. He jumped up and started checking the time machine over carefully.  
  
“Is she okay?” Rose asked as she climbed to her feet.  
  
“She’ll be alright,” the Doctor promised her with a smile. “The TARDIS doesn’t like temporal distortions, probably took a lot of out of her to make sure that we got you to the healer at the right time.”  
  
Rose smiled and nodded, reaching out a hand to stroke the edge of the console. The Doctor watched her with a slight smile, rubbing the ring on his hand. She observed the gesture with a flutter in her stomach, she’d never asked the Eleventh Doctor about the ring he wore but it was now very clear.  
  
“I should let you get back to your Rose,” she observed, stepped back from the console.  
  
The Doctor nodded and grinned at her, “Yeah, wedding reception to soothe Jackie’s irritation at there not being a proper wedding.”  
  
“Plus the companions,” Rose added, sighing softly. “I wonder how long I can avoid them.”  
  
“Probably until you get home,” the Doctor replied with a sympathetic grimace.  
  
Nodding, Rose moved toward him and leaned forward to kiss him softly. He pulled her closer and deepened the kiss, gently running his fingers over her hairline with one hand and rubbing her back with the other. Rose moved her hand over his chest to feel the beat of his two hearts, reassuring herself that she was with the right person. An uncertain amount of time later, Rose stepped back and smiled softly at the Doctor.  
  
“Until next time,” she whispered.  
  
“Until next time,” he agreed in an equally soft voice.   
  
Walking towards the door, Rose didn’t look back at him despite wanting to. It would be too easy to stay in the TARDIS and not go back to England, but then the timelines would be in danger. Instead, she opened the TARDIS door and stepped out, nearly walking into someone.  
  
“I always hoped that you’d throw yourself at me one day,” a very familiar voice teased. “Of course I kind of hoped that the Doctor would agree to join in.”  
  
Blinking in surprise, Rose looked up and met the warm eyes of Captain Jack Harkness. Jack grinned at her, exposing his perfect teeth and giving her his best seductive look which didn’t work but cheered Rose up instantly. Head thrown back, Rose laughed loudly before launching herself at Jack. The “captain” caught her around the waist, lifted her off the ground and spun her around before stopping and hugging her properly.  
  
“Oh Rosie,” he sighed softly, “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help.”  
  
“You helped enough,” Rose assured him, looking back over her shoulder as the TARDIS dematerialized from its spot. She didn’t bother to take in their surroundings before swinging her eyes back to Jack. “The Doctor told me what you two had planned. Thank you.”  
  
“Anything for you,” Jack told her warmly, setting her back on her feet. “And I have something for you.”  
  
It was then that Rose noticed the odd bag slung over Jack’s shoulder which he promptly moved to the front and tugged off his shoulder. It was her own well broken in black bag.  
  
“My bag?” Rose asked curiously as she took it from him.  
  
“I swung by to grab it from Ace and Shareen, poor Sharon and Sarah Jane were trying to calm down your mother.”  
  
Rose grimaced in sympathy, she’d have to make that and a whole lot more up to Shareen and Sharon when she got home. Opening the bag, Rose grinned when she found her passport and wallet along with her mobile phone.  
  
“Oh and I got your phone supercharged on my way here,” Jack told her with a wink.  
  
“With the Doctor at a different point in time?” Rose asked as she tucked everything away and slung the bag over her shoulder.   
  
“Something like that,” Jack answered slowly with an amused smile.  
  
Rolling her eyes, Rose shook her head and sighed, “Fine, keep your secrets.”  
  
Grinning, Jack threw an arm over her shoulder and gently tugged her with him. “Come on, you need some food and rest.” Jack paused and looked down at her with a tender expression. “How are you? Really Rose?”  
  
“I’m…” Rose sighed and shook her head. “I’m angry, I’m embarrassed, I’m sad and I’m… I don’t even know. Something went into my head and put something that wasn’t me there. Violated doesn’t even come close.”  
  
Jack was silent, shifting his arm from her shoulder to rub her back gently. “I know,” he finally said in a soft voice. “When we first meet… well, I’d had some of my memories erased and I didn’t know why. I didn’t know who did it, but I suspected the Time Agency who I worked for of doing it to me. I didn’t know what had happened for two years of my life. I didn’t know if I’d done something horrible or if something horrible had happened to me.” Jack looked down at Rose, meeting her wide eyes. “I get it Rosie and you’re right violation is too simple a word for what something so vital to who you are being changed.”  
  
Nodding, Rose swallowed and tried to keep tears from welling up in her eyes. “I’m sorry Jack,” she whispered, completely lost for what else to say. “Did you ever…”  
  
“I found out who took my memories and why,” Jack answered her silent question. “They had a good reason and I forgave them.” There was a note of finality to his voice that kept Rose from asking any further questions. Finally, he added, “I know it seems insane to think you’ll get over this Rose, but you’ll move forward. I promise you that.”  
  
Holding back a sigh, Rose finally looked around only to stop suddenly in her tracks as she took in the cobblestone square in front of them and the large stone buildings. A statue stood in the centre of the square with people moving around it and pointing at things. She heard cars driving through a narrow section of the square far to the left and in the distance, she heard thunder.  
  
“We’re not in China are we?” Rose asked with a small smile.  
  
“No,” Jack laughed. “Welcome to Prague.” He pointed up at a hall building next to them with a grin. “Famous clock and everything.”  
  
Rose looked up, craning her neck to see the large round face of the famous clock. The overlapping circles reminded her of the Gallifreyan messages that she’d seen around the TARDIS and the Doctor had written for her. Near the bottom of the clock were beautiful colours of orange and dark blue to represent dusk, dawn and the dark of night. Both numbers and roman numerals lined the out edges of the clock as gold on varying shades of blue.   
  
“He is a terrible driver,” Rose whispered to Jack with a soft giggle.  
  
“That he is,” Jack agreed, but Rose barely heard him over another roar of thunder. “Oh, here it comes.”  
  
The sky opened and fat raindrops began to fall on the square. People screamed and rushed for the nearby covered patio café or the variety of restaurants and tourist shops that surrounded the square. Sighing, Rose tilted her face back and felt the drops of rain slide over her skin. Jack chuckled warmly and took her bag before linking their arms. He tugged Rose forward gently, heading for the covered patio restaurant on the far side of the square where soft music was echoing out from.  
  
Enjoying the rain, Rose took in the square with a smile and enjoyed the feeling of the cobblestones, feeling a bit silly for not noticing them earlier. A man in a rather old fashioned outfit complete with a long green velvet coat, waistcoat and cravat was standing near the statue. He didn’t seem bothered by the rain, even as it flattened his long brown curls.   
  
They were almost at the restaurant when the volume of the music was turned up to presumably drown out the sound of the rain. Stopping, Rose hummed softly with the instrumentation that she sort of recognised and started swaying softly. Jack chuckled and leaned over to kiss her cheek.   
  
“I’ll be at a table Rosie,” Jack told her, releasing her arm and leaving Rose in the rain.  
  
Tilting her face back, Rose spun slowly trying to remember where she’d heard the song. A fat raindrop landed right between her eyes making her giggle as it slowly trickled down the bridge of her nose. Inhaling deeply, Rose took in the rich sharp air and felt her tense muscles relaxing as she spun with a laugh, holding out her arms.  
  
“May I have this dance,” a warm British accent asked from behind Rose.  
  
She turned to see the man in the velvet coat standing with a hand extended towards her. Stormy blue-grey eyes met hers and Rose sucked in a quick breath. It was silly, she knew, to be able to recognise the Doctor in different forms, but there was a spark in the eyes that she… just knew. However, he showed no signs of recognition and kept smiling in amusement at the odd girl dancing in the thunderstorm. Behind her, she heard Jack muffle a laugh and gave her hand to the Doctor. Quickly she identified him as the Doctor’s eighth incarnation. She hadn’t met anyone who’d travelled with him, yet at least, but she’d gotten a few details from the Doctor about his more… dashing form.   
  
“You may,” Rose replied with a widening grin.  
  
The Doctor carefully tightened his hand around hers, adjusting it to a sideways grip as she moved closer to him. His hand went to her hip, holding her carefully as he began to lead her in a waltz. It was a bit awkward on the cobblestones and Rose hadn’t waltzed much since a few lessons in school, but she forced herself to relax and let the Doctor glide her around the square.   
  
“I’ve always been fond of the Sleeping Beauty Waltz,” the Doctor informed her with a wide smile as they found their rhythm and Rose fought to keep a silly grin off her face.  
  
“Sleeping Beauty huh…” Rose repeated thoughtfully. “I suppose that’s why it sounds familiar.” She managed a slight shrug. “I’m afraid I’ve never had much time for music,” she told him regretfully. “That was one thing I would have liked to study more in school.”  
  
“What did you study?” the Doctor questioned warmly. “If not music then what do you like to do.”  
  
Rose chuckled softly, enjoying the spark of curiosity and amusement in the Doctor’s eye; no doubt enjoying the chance to calmly interact with a member of his favourite species. “Honestly I tend more towards taking computers apart and travelling,” Rose answered him with a barely contained smile. “And driving my professor around the bend. I paint when I find the time.”  
  
The Doctor laughed a soft and gentle soft compared from the deeper and more manic laugh that would follow. Her lips curved further into a smile as the Doctor spun her gently before bringing her back to face him. The music changed to another classical number that was a little faster, but the Doctor made no effort to change from waltzing.  
  
“What about you?” Rose asked him, realising that she was acting far too comfortable. “Who are you when you’re at home?”  
  
“A traveller,” he informed her with a mysterious little smile before twirling her again. “I go from place to place, just to see what those places are like.”  
  
“Sounds fantastic,” Rose replied with a grin.  
  
They lapsed into silence, the Doctor shifting the pace of the dance slightly to match the faster pace. Rose pulled her away from his shoulder to push the wet hair from her face as her long blonde hair tried to stick to her face. The Doctor laughed once again and pushed his own damp curls back earning a giggle from Rose.  
  
Then the music changed again and the Doctor smiled. “Moonlight Serenade, an orchestra cover. Very nice.”  
  
Rose was about to say something about his musical knowledge when a voice spoke up behind them. “Excuse me,” Jack called his voice bright with amusement. “I think you’ll find that this is our song.”  
  
“Of course,” the Doctor replied with a small bow releasing Rose’s hip before she could say anything.  He turned back to her and raised the hand he was still holding to his lips to kiss it gently. “Thank you for the dance Miss…”  
  
“Rose,” she told him quickly with a beaming smiling. “And thank you. Take care in your travels.” He didn’t offer a name; he merely smiled, released her hand and stepped away. Jack moved closer to her and tugged her closer. Rose looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “Our song Jack?” she repeated in a doubtful tone.  
  
“I think you’ll find that Moonlight Serenade is definitely our song,” Jack informed her with a chuckled. “Even the Doctor doesn’t argue with me dancing with you when this song comes on.”  
  
“And do you make sure it comes on often?” Rose asked with a smirk.  
  
Instead of answering, Jack gripped her by the hips and raised her up into the air. Rose squealed and laughed, throwing her head back and letting the rain rinse off the last of her worries. Over the music, she heard the echo of the TARDIS dematerializing.   
  
………………. ……..  
  
The cab pulled up on Bannerman Road in front the Tyler house and Rose let out a slow breath, fighting back the churning fear in her gut. Up in the front, the driver made a small sound that spurred rose into action. She quickly paid the man and grabbed the small suitcase that she’d purchased in Prague for the clothing she’d ‘had’ to buy for the two weeks she’d hidden out across Europe. Stepping out of the cab, Rose risked a glance back towards Sarah Jane’s house. She’d considered calling Spock to order him not to reveal when she got back to Bannerman Road but had ultimately decided against starting issues between Sarah Jane and the Xylok.  
  
“Rose!” her mother’s voice called from the front door, relief and eagerness clear in her voice.  
  
Eyes widening, Rose barely had time to look at her mother before Jackie threw her arms around her. “Oh sweetheart,” her mother cried softly. “Thank god you’re home.”  
  
“Uh hi Mum,” Rose managed carefully, barely managing to set down her suitcase. “I’m glad to see you too.”  
  
“Picking up the phone wouldn’t have killed you,” Jackie scolded as she pulled back.  
  
Flushing softly, Rose nodded nervously. “I sent messages and postcards,” she muttered, scraping her trainer against the sidewalk. “Mum… I just needed some time to myself.” Rose licked her lips and looked back at her mother whose expression had changed again. “Did Benton tell you what happened?”  
  
“A bit,” Jackie admitted. “But Sharon and Shareen told me the whole story.” Rose doubted that but wasn’t going to argue as her mother reached out and touched her face gently. “Why did you take off?”  
  
“My friend the Doctor took me to see a mind healer,” Rose explained quietly. “I needed help Mum, it hurt so badly and then…” Rose swallowed, her chest feeling tight. “Mum they put something in me that wasn’t me. I needed to be alone for a little while. I saw another friend of mine for a couple of hours, but then I just wandered a bit and thought about things.”  
  
Jackie was silent for a long moment before she gave Rose a watery smile. She stepped forward and wrapped Rose in her arms again, her hands rubbing Rose’s back and stroking her hair. “I could’ve killed them,” Jackie whispered.  
  
A stray tear slipped from the corner of Rose’s eye. “I know Mummy,” she sighed. “Thank you.”  
  
Jackie ushered her inside and made her a cup of tea. Rita Anne gave her considering look and muttered something about aliens and secretive grandsons before excusing herself from the room. To Rose’s surprise, her mother pulled out the stack of postcards that Rose had sent her during the last two weeks and asked Rose questions about each place. The last few postcards hadn’t arrived yet, but Rose told her mother about Prague and some of the great tours in the city. Jackie was a bit bored when Rose talked about the Berlin museums, but was eager to hear more about Paris.  
  
A knock on the door distracted them both and Rose quickly stood up to answer it. Sarah Jane Smith was waiting on the doorstep with a tight smile, a mixture of worry and impatience. “Welcome back,” Sarah Jane greeted her a bit tightly.  
  
“Hello Sarah Jane,” Rose sighed, leaning against the doorframe. “I’ll be over in an hour.”  
  
Sarah Jane looked ready to argue, but after a moment of struggling with herself, she nodded. Rose watched her go until she reached the gate before she closed the gate.  
  
“Who was it?” Jackie asked when she returned to the kitchen.  
  
“Sarah Jane,” Rose answered as she sank back into her chair. She frowned and looked back at her mother. “Uh, what else did Benton tell you?”  
  
“Sarah Jane knows this Doctor,” Jackie huffed with a frown. “Wouldn’t tell me much about him beyond what you already explained. Benton wasn’t much better, not much of a boss.”  
  
“Okay,” Rose responded with a slight nod before reaching for her suitcase. “I got some things for you.”  
  
Jackie’s posture relaxed a little, but the worry remained in her eyes and Rose knew that things weren’t back to normal just yet. Still, it was a start and her mum was trying to be patient. Giving her mother a real smile, Rose pulled out the first box and handed it to her mother.  
  
………………………….  
  
“You’re late,” Sarah Jane huffed as Rose reached the attic only to get a sharp look from Rose.  
  
“My mum needed some time with me,” Rose replied with a raised eyebrow. “I did take off to recover from being…” Rose didn’t say mind rape, uncomfortable with the term even though she had yet to think of a better description. “And I needed to see her,” Rose added.  
  
Guilt flashed over Sarah Jane’s face and she nodded quickly, standing up from her desk. She stepped closer to Rose and looked at her carefully. “How are you?” Sarah Jane asked gently.  
  
“I’m not going to break,” Rose answered with a soft smile. “I’m not great yet, but I’m okay.”   
  
“I’m sorry,” Sarah Jane apologised, stepping forward to hug Rose tightly in a warm hug. “I just don’t cope with waiting for answers well.” The statement made Rose laugh and she nodded in understanding before looking towards Spock.   
  
“Hey Spock,” Rose greeted before looking around for K-9. “Where’s K-9?”  
  
“Over at Clyde’s house with Luke,” Sarah Jane explained quickly. “Now Spock will you please inform the others that we’re ready.”  
  
“Wait, the others?” Rose asked just before Spock’s screen changed, splitting into multiple smaller split screens with the different companions all appearing. Everyone from Ace to Victoria was looking at her, some in their pyjamas and others in daytime clothing. “Oh… bugger.”  
  
Everyone started shouting questions all at once causing Rose to flinch back. It wasn’t often that she thought about outright running away, but at the moment it seemed like a good idea. This was definitely a good time for running.  
  
“Enough!” Ace shouted to the others, causing everyone else to quiet down. “One at a time.” Ace huffed slightly and looked at Rose through Spock’s webcam. “I think the first question we all have is why you didn’t tell us about your relationship with the Doctor?”  
  
Rose felt a little better with Ace being the one to ask that question. The woman had pretty much told her that she suspected the relationship a year ago. Straightening up, Rose stepped forward closer to the screen.   
  
“It wasn’t your business,” Rose answered as calmly as she could. “What is between me and the Doctor is complicated by time travel, regeneration and a universe that seems to have plans for me. I didn’t want to make it even more complicated by bringing our friends into it.”  
  
“You are aware of the age difference?” Ian asked speaking up from the right of the wall of faces with Barbara next to him.  
  
“I am,” Rose assured him with a slight nod. “And I’ve met most of his previous forms at this point. I am very aware of just how long-lived he is and how little time I’ve actually been in his life in the grand scheme of things.” Rose glanced over the assembled faces. “But even Time Lords change and what they want changes.”  
  
“How long?” Tegan questioned with a sigh, a slightly defeated expression on her face.  
  
Rose thought about the question for a moment, she didn’t think it was a good idea to say when she was eighteen and things had been so weird after they slept together. Instead, her mind went to the pattern of seeing each other they’d worked out over the last two years.   
  
“About two years,” Rose told them a moment later. “After I started at Cambridge we started seeing each other sometimes.”  
  
“You mean like dates?” Jo asked with wide eyes before she started laughing. “Honest to goodness dates? He does date?”   
  
“Yes dates,” Rose sighed resisting the urge to roll her eyes and defend her significant other. “When Donna visits her family he comes to see me.”  
  
“Wait,” Ace interrupted, holding up her hand. “Donna? But that’s further in his future.”  
  
Rose paused and could have kicked herself. “I did say it was complicated. You’re right, I’m dating the Tenth incarnation of the Doctor, but I’ll be travelling with the Ninth when I leave school.” Rose saw worried looks all over the companion’s faces. “I’m fine,” she insisted quickly. “I not dead or anything, I’ve even met myself after I come back. I just… gone for a bit.”  
  
“So he went back in your timeline to date a younger you,” Polly said slowly with a dubious expression.  
  
“Like I said,” Rose sighed, rubbing her head as a headache threatened to overwhelm her. “Complicated.”   
  
“You still should have told us,” Barbara scolded.  
  
Raising an eyebrow, Rose glanced towards Sarah Jane who grimaced slightly. “Right…,” Rose said slowly, drawing out the word. “How would you have started that conversation?” No one answered and Rose smirked, “Like I said, complicated.” Feeling a bit bolder, Rose crossed her arms and added. “And thanks to everyone for asking how I was feeling.”  
  
Next, to her, Sarah Jane burst out laughing, making Rose grin in response. After a moment everyone was laughing and Rose thought she just might survive the rest of the summer.


End file.
